Player: WR Roman Wilson
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: For the second straight week, WR Roman Wilson played relatively sparingly, but he played well—even better this time, actually. After 10 snaps in the preseason opener, he logged 21 last night. He made two catches in each game, but they have grown in impact. Following receptions of 5 and 19 yards in Jacksonville, he caught passes of 30 and 42 yards against the Buccaneers.
During his rookie season, Roman Wilson only saw the field for five snaps—regular season and preseason combined. Due to an ankle injury, he missed his entire rookie preseason and set the course for a wasted season. Although he had his ups and downs this offseason, he has made an impact where it matters most: in stadiums.
Wilson caught two passes for 24 yards in the Steelers’ first preseason game, including a nifty 19-yarder, across 10 snaps. More than doubling his playing time last night, he totaled 72 yards on two receptions with a long of 42. Displaying his quickness, route running, and hands, he showed the coaches what they knew all along he could do.
With DK Metcalf not playing and Calvin Austin III nursing an injury, Roman Wilson has been the Steelers’ top receiver during the preseason. Throughout the offseason, however, they have treated him like a starter. The coaching staff appears to believe in him, and as the games roll along, he is showing everyone why.
A third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Roman Wilson effectively lost his rookie season to injury. An ankle injury took out his training camp and preseason, the injury lingering into September. After dressing for one game and playing five snaps, he injured his hamstring. He spent the rest of the season on IR, gearing up for 2025.
Well, the future is now. Wilson will have a big role in the Steelers’ offense this season, or at least that is the intention. Based on what he has shown in-stadium the past two weeks, they may just have something in him after all. Sometimes delayed gratification is the most rewarding.
With training camp wrapped up and the Steelers crystalizing 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 the home stretch. What final 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?
