Pittsburgh Steelers rookie WR Roman Wilson will make his NFL debut Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
It’s something we suspected and wrote about this morning following the team’s Saturday elevations that did not include a wide receiver. With RB/WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson ruled out due to an ankle injury, the Steelers needed an extra receiver. That leads Wilson to getting a helmet and active for tomorrow’s game. Pittsburgh has a full inactive list with five injured players, an emergency quarterback, and ninth offensive lineman, making it simple to assume who won’t dress Sunday.
Roman Wilson spent the first five weeks inactive. While that caused frustration among fans, he missed nearly the entire summer with an ankle injury he hurt on the first padded practice. Wilson missed the rest of training camp and all three preseason games as a result, not beginning to practice fully until after the regular season began.
The team’s third-round pick out of Michigan, he flashed in training camp during the few practices he was healthy for. But they were padless sessions, making evaluation difficult. Our camp grade for him was incomplete due to all the missed time.
“But Wilson was injured on the first day in pads,” we wrote in our recap. “Taking a jet sweep left to right in seven shots, CB Anthony Averett wrapped him up and rolled him down. Wilson sprained his ankle and missed the rest of camp, though he moved around normally without a boot or brace by the time the team left Saint Vincent College. Despite basically just four practices, he still went for nearly 100 yards and one touchdown. His momentum derailed but there’s time to get back on track.”
How much Wilson plays is a separate question. It’s possible he’s used in a reserve role, similar to WR Brandon Johnson who was elevated as the No. 5 receiver last weekend. He logged just five offensive snaps, making one catch for 9 yards.
