Most people have already given up on Roman Wilson. The Pittsburgh Steelers receiver has had a dramatically disappointing start to his career, losing most of his rookie season to injuries and failing to reach 200 receiving yards in 2025.
After multiple additions to the receiver room this offseason, the former third-round pick is at risk of fading into the background of the Steelers' roster.
But a new coaching staff offers new opportunities for the young wideout. With a small tweak in usage under Mike McCarthy, Wilson could finally become a factor in the Steelers' offense this season.
Pitsburgh Steelers WR Roman Wilson could finally break out with small Mike McCarthy adjustment
Wilson was a productive receiver in college, but he presented a fairly limited skill set. He was used primarily as a slot receiver at Michigan, lining up there on 77% of his pass snaps over the final two years of his collegiate career. Especially for a top prospect, that's a high rate. It's enough to earn a "slot-only" label.
Lining up in the slot helped to mask some of Wilson's weaknesses, especially against press coverage. He was able to use his speed to threaten defenses vertically without being limited by his physicality.
His usage has shifted dramatically in the NFL. His alignment numbers have been almost the exact inverse of what they were in college. In 2025, Wilson took 79.9% of his pass snaps from a wide alignment.
The receiver was targeted just three times from the slot, resulting in two receptions for seven yards.
Predictably, he struggled to make an impact. Wilson's worst qualities as a receiver were exposed, and he fell out of favor, receiving just one target in the final six weeks of the season.
Hopefully, McCarthy will move Wilson back into the slot. Rookie Germie Bernard is currently slated to be the Steelers' starting slot receiver. We're not arguing for that to change (we're as excited about Bernard as we could be), but Wilson should get some work there, too.
If he does, he could finally reach the potential fans in Pittsburgh saw in him when he entered the league. While anything close to a 1,000-yard season is probably out of the question for Wilson, he could at least become a productive member of the offense from the slot.
This move could resurrect Wilson's career. If it's not made, the receiver might already be on the way out of Pittsburgh.
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