Roman Wilson got far fewer reps than he would have liked in his rookie season. An ankle injury during the first padded practice at training camp halted his progress, and he never was healthy enough to make an impact in 2024.
That’s something he’s trying to get ahead of this summer. While speaking to the media Wednesday after an OTA practice, Wilson was asked about him staying late to get a few extra reps in.
“Yeah it’s early in the season, I’m trying to get a head start,” Wilson said. “I missed a lot of time, so just putting in a lot of work.”
Missing a lot of time is an understatement, and it is something that hurt both Roman Wilson and the Steelers last year. Aside from George Pickens and a decent season from Calvin Austin III, there just wasn’t much consistency at the wide receiver position. This time around, the Steelers find themselves in a familiar spot. After trading George Pickens, there isn’t another proven option aside from DK Metcalf.
Following the Pickens trade, the Steelers made it clear that they’ve got a lot of confidence in Wilson. If he can take a significant step forward this year, it will be a massive help to the entire offense. However, that’s asking a lot from a third-round pick who’s never caught an NFL pass.
Wilson thinks he’s ready, though.
“I feel like I got a lot better,” Wilson said. “The coaches did a great job helping me develop, and I think you can see it. I feel good.”
Since the start of OTAs last week, there’s been lots of positive reports regarding Roman Wilson. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor claimed he looks stronger. Wilson himself is never short on confidence, but he’s still putting the work in — and then some. While it’s hard not to feel excited about his potential in 2025, Wilson knows he has something to prove.
“I wouldn’t say I feel like an underdog, but everybody’s got something to prove,” Wilson said.
He certainly does. The Steelers are reportedly meeting with Gabe Davis on Thursday. If he ends up signing, that immediately diminishes the amount of targets Wilson might get this year. Even if the Steelers don’t add another receiver, he’ll have to compete with Calvin Austin III for the WR2 job.
It’s only OTAs, and the players are still a long way from padded practices. However, the narrative around Roman Wilson has shifted to one of excitement ahead of the 2025 season. He feels confident that he can meet that standard and seems to be putting the work in to do so.
