While his career is off to a horrible start, the Steelers would be wise to give the former first-round pick a fresh start this season.
With the Steelers short on resources this offseason, they have been forced to get creative with how they will fill their current holes on the roster. Cheap and inconsistent free agents will be the backbone of the class as they present a low-cost/low reward option for the team. That said, an unusual signing for the team was made when Dwayne Haskins was brought in, and the Steelers should make a similar exemption for Isaiah Wilson.
To call Wilson a bust at this point would be generous. Despite his physical tools, he took all of three snaps on offense his rookie year. He did this despite being a first-round pick and playing on a team that needed offensive line help in the Titans. For the most part, his rookie season was marred by injury and illness, meaning it was hard for him to see the field. Add in his recent string of issues with the law and now he finds himself without a job.
While there is a little guarantee he can turn anything around, the Steelers should be all over Wilson right now. Their offensive line depth is limited, and they could use a tackle long term to start. If Wilson lives up to his billing, he could become a steal for whatever team signs him. He is a massive human being with decent agility for a man his size. He has the build and strength to be a starting tackle, but he needs to get his head on straight first.
The Steelers are in an identical boat with Haskins
Most wrote off the team signing Haskins this offseason due to their tendencies to avoid those types of signings. With him being brought in though, it could be a signal of the changing of the guards, as the team may be more willing to sign these troubled pedigree players. Like Wilson, there is no risk involved in the Haskins deal. The team could cut him tomorrow and nothing changes. Wilson could be a similar story.
To be fair, Wilson is in far worse shape than Haskins was. He has multiple legal issues to go along with his attitude problems that make signing him at this very moment an issue. If those legal problems are dealt with though, he could be a fine add before camp. Allow him to come in and compete for a roster spot and hopefully get his career back on track. It’s hard to imagine Wilson getting away with what he has so far in a locker room ran by Cameron Heyward.
At the end of the day, what is the worst that could happen? The Steelers sign Wilson to a minimum deal, control his rights for a few years, and try to develop him into a useful player. He has all the physical tools and talent, but unfortunately, he needs to get his head on straight. That said, Pittsburgh is a good place to do that. He should start his redemption story there as the team should be willing to give the former first-round pick a contract.