The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally cut their roster down to 53 players, and while more changes will likely come, this is the team they have for now. There are certainly still areas that need improved though. Wide receiver doesn’t exactly look strong right now, but maybe rookie Roman Wilson can change that. Wilson has been out of action with an ankle injury but should be returning soon. He may not have gotten any work in the preseason, but it sounds like Wilson bettered himself in other ways.
In a video on Twitter from Aaron Becker of Yardbarker, Wilson is asked what he’s gotten out of his mental reps while injured.
“A lot actually,” Wilson said. “Really dissecting the game, dissecting a lot of routes. A lot of different receivers around the league, focusing on the guys I want to emulate. Learning from the other receivers here. Taking the mental reps, putting myself in their shoes. Really just evaluating everything.”
It sounds like Wilson was not idle even though he couldn’t physically practice. He was reportedly looking good before his ankle injury, and there was hope he would give the Steelers’ receiver room the boost it needed. Even though he may not be as ready as he would have been had he not gotten hurt, Wilson should still be prepared to contribute this year.
It would be interesting to hear what receivers around the league Wilson studied while he was out. Wilson profiles more as a slot receiver, being smaller and faster. He didn’t have a ton of production in college, but the offense he played in prioritized running over passing. If Wilson can borrow some things from some of the better slot receivers in the NFL, he may be able to catch on quickly despite his injury.
Wilson sounds unsure when talking about the timetable for his return, but he should hopefully be ready for Week 1. He may not get a huge workload due to all the time he’s missed, but maybe those mental reps have helped him not totally fall behind the curve.
At the moment, George Pickens and Van Jefferson should be the Steelers’ starting outside receivers. The slot position is in a little more flux. Calvin Austin III has been working hard this offseason, and Scotty Miller has flashed at times. If Wilson wants to see time on the field, he’ll have to beat out both of those players.
The Steelers could also always make an addition to their receiver room, so nothing is certain yet. It is good to hear that Wilson has been working just as hard to sharpen his mind while his body is healing. Here’s hoping he’s healthy and ready to go for the start of the season.
