The Pittsburgh Steelers underwent plenty of changes during the offseason. The transition to quarterback Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and DK Metcalf at wide receiver served as prime examples of that.
This offseason created a fresh opportunity for just about everyone. Young wideout Roman Wilson is included, even with him being a preexisting player from last season.
A clean slate is something Wilson desperately needed. It’s also what has Rodgers and head coach Mike Tomlin giving the Michigan Wolverines product some tough love in the preseason.
Aaron Rodgers & Mike Tomlin Believe Roman Wilson Has ‘Big-Time Talent’ Upside
They only do it because they genuinely believe in Wilson’s upside.
It’s hard to view this as anything but a redo of Wilson’s debut campaign. Breaking out during his senior season at Michigan, he hauled in 48 passes for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to winning a national championship. That made him a third-round pick by the Steelers, generating plenty of buzz heading into the 2024-25 NFL season.
Unfortunately, Wilson was behind the proverbial eight-ball early on. He suffered a high-ankle sprain to start training camp, which held him out for weeks. After logging all of five snaps in his Week 6 debut, a hamstring ailment cut his rookie season short.
With no statistics as a pro, Wilson has to prove himself. His head coach is well aware of that, which is why he’s being coached so hard.
“He’s improving every day,” Tomlin said. “You can’t skew the results from the details. You look at his game that night, he made a couple splash plays, but we’re going to coach him hard. His receiver coach, Arthur [Smith], myself on the on the details because the details are what make the difference. Even though he had a couple big plays, there’s some room for improvement there. I wouldn’t say anything if we thought he was just any guy that you could throw in, but he has a chance to be a big-time talent lead. So, we’re going to hold him to a high standard. I’m really happy with the way he’s played, but we’re going to hold him to a standard of excellence that he’s capable of reaching.
The Steelers hope Wilson’s continued development and fun athletic profile can make him cash in on his upside in year two.
Do Steelers Have Enough at Wide Receiver With Week 1 on the Horizon?
In two preseason games, Wilson has 4 catches for 96 yards. It’s been a productive month for the sophomore standout, and one that should lock him into a roster spot for the team without a doubt. Others like Metcalf and Calvin Austin III also fit that billing. Metcalf is the star of the group, looking to recapture the form he once had as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
The rest of the Steelers’ receiver room is an interesting puzzle to solve. Three veterans — Robert Woods, Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek — are competing with backups like Lance McCutcheon and Brandon Johnson. In all likelihood, it may be the aforementioned trio all making it through roster cuts. Miller’s experience and Skowronek’s versatility could give them the upper hand. How much Woods has left in the tank is a question.
It’s easy to see that this isn’t a star-studded room. The Steelers, as currently constructed, are banking on Metcalf carrying the receiver load and one (or both) of Wilson and Austin to break out. That’s a slippery slope that has many clamoring for a pickup like Gabe Davis (who has been linked to the team via a visit).
Getting a good outcome from an internal option like Wilson is the most logical path. It’s much easier said than done, though, which Rodgers and Tomlin know all too well.
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