Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Drafting a pure return specialist in the fourth round is an expensive luxury, even with the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rules radically reshaping the value of field position. By taking Iowa’s Kaden Wetjen at No. 121, the Pittsburgh Steelers made it clear they expect an instant spark on special teams. The logic is sound: Wetjen is a human joystick with six collegiate return touchdowns and two Jet Awards on his mantle. But in today’s NFL, active roster spots are a premium commodity, and Wetjen enters his rookie training camp under immediate pressure to prove he can offer real utility on scrimmage downs.
History is littered with track-speed returners who flamed out because they couldn’t run a crisp route on third-and-short. At Iowa, Wetjen was an afterthought in the traditional passing game, catching just 23 passes over his career. If he wants to be active on Sundays and justify his $5.50 million rookie contract, he has to show new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio that his vision translates to the offense.
Fortunately, the rookie isn’t hiding from the challenge. When asked about his conversations with the front office during the draft process, Wetjen revealed a willingness to be a multi-tool weapon.
“I told them I had a background with running backs, so maybe getting mixed in there and some different packages out of the backfield. That’s up to the coaches, but we talked about everything, and I’m super comfortable with whatever, and hopefully they’re playing on doing that,” Wetjen said.
If Wetjen can handle jet sweeps, pop passes, and occasional snaps out of the backfield, he becomes a headache for opposing defensive coordinators. If he can’t, he risks becoming a one-dimensional specialist fighting an uphill battle for playing time. Wetjen has the elite traits to be a true modern gadget threat; now he just has to go out and prove it.
Acquired: The Steelers selected Wetjen in the fourth round (121st overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Iowa. He signed a standard four-year rookie contract on May 8, 2026, totaling approximately $5.5 million with a projected $1,126,916 signing bonus, locking him in through the 2029 season with an initial 2026 cap hit of roughly $1,166,729. Under the current rookie wage scale, the deal is fully slotted and non-negotiable. Brought in by special teams coordinator Danny Crossman to exploit the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rules, the two-time Jet Award winner and consensus All-American brings elite return value—boasting six career return touchdowns at Iowa—offsetting his developmental status as a depth slot receiver.
Last Year: Wetjen put together an historic, dominant senior campaign in 2025, serving as the crown jewel of Iowa’s special teams and earning consensus first-team All-American honors. He led the nation in combined return yards (965) and took home his second consecutive Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year award, becoming the first two-time recipient in conference history. Wetjen was...
