Player: WR Roman Wilson
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Roman Wilson had, by all accounts, his best day of practice yesterday, but now he has to build on that. The second-year wide receiver seems to have a default role right now but must prove he can contribute. As a former third-round draft pick, he has faced a lot of questions, but now is the time for him to begin providing answers.
During the initial days of training camp, Roman Wilson and Aaron Rodgers didn’t seem to be on the same page. That appears to be changing, especially after yesterday, his best practice in the NFL so far. He has made a few nice catches since camp opened, but now he has to start building consistency and stacking good day after good day.
Now would be the time to do it, ramping up to the Steelers’ first preseason game. Wilson has two more practices before he plays inside of an NFL stadium for only the second time. Around this time last year, he was patrolling the sidelines in a walking boot, dealing with a sprained ankle.
Adding to the importance of his first preseason game is Calvin Austin III’s recent injury. Roman Wilson could play a lot on Saturday depending upon the availability of others. Right now, we don’t know how much the starters will play. The Steelers could have Wilson play into the fourth quarter, though, with other units.
Earlier this offseason, the Steelers acquired DK Metcalf via trade but then traded George Pickens. That exchange was a push but still left them with an underwhelming or unproven pool of complementary receivers. Wilson and Austin are at the top of that list, but others could push their way in. Scotty Miller is someone who has been on the rise in recent days, for example.
Just prior to yesterday’s practice, we saw a string of reporters knock Roman Wilson for a purported lack of development. Was this just one good day, or did they speak too soon? He’ll soon be able to tell us that for himself.
With training camp underway and the Steelers exploring their new roster, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
As we speak, we are in the process of learning what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re in camp. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
