Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Few Pittsburgh Steelers have had a more frustrating start to their NFL careers than wide receiver Roman Wilson.
When Pittsburgh selected Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the expectation was that the former Michigan standout would quickly become a young playmaker in the Steelers’ receiving corps. Instead, injuries and inconsistent playing time have prevented him from ever gaining much momentum.
Now entering his third season, Wilson is hoping a fresh start under Mike McCarthy finally leads to the breakout many envisioned when he was drafted. Wilson’s rookie season never really had a chance to get off the ground. An ankle injury during training camp followed by a lingering hamstring issue landed him on injured reserve for much of the season. Although he eventually returned, he never found a consistent role in Pittsburgh’s offense.
Year 2 was supposed to be different. With a full offseason to get healthy and a year in the system already behind him, many believed Wilson was ready to emerge as the Steelers’ No. 2 receiver. Instead, he once again struggled to establish himself in the rotation. While there were flashes late in games, Wilson finished the season with just 12 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. By the end of the year, he was even a healthy scratch on multiple occasions.
Despite the disappointing start to his career, Wilson isn’t dwelling on what’s happened over the last two seasons.
“Just keep building on everything I’ve learned and apply it to what I’m doing now. I’m really just trying to take off,” Wilson said at OTAs.
The challenge is that the road to playing time has only become more difficult. The Steelers added veteran Michael Pittman Jr. to an already competitive receiver room and then traded up in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Geremy Bernard. DK Metcalf remains Pittsburgh’s top target, meaning Wilson now finds himself battling for snaps in one of the deepest receiver rooms the Steelers have had in years.
Still, Year 3 often becomes the defining season for young receivers.
14 • Roman Wilson, Wide Receiver, Michigan
5-foot-11, 185 pounds, 24 years old, 3rd pro season
Acquired: The Steelers selected Wilson with the 84th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft after helping Michigan win a national championship.
Last Year: He finished the season with 12 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns, with most of his production coming after games had already been decided. As the year went on, Wilson’s role continued to diminish, and by the end of the season he was a healthy scratch on multiple occasions.
Wilson’s NFL career has been defined more by missed opportunities than production.His rookie season was largely wiped out by injuries, while his second season brought little improvement despite entering the year healthy. Wilson struggled to consistently separate himself in a crowded receiving room and saw his playing time decrease as the season progressed.
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