The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at an impressive 3-1 record coming off their bye week, and they return to action against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. Despite the solid record and a big lead in the AFC North, things have been far from perfect on both sides of the ball.
The defense has bounced back from a dreadful start and will be getting multiple starters back from injury this week, but the offense remains a question mark. The receiver position stands out as the most concerning among the skill positions, with DK Metcalf as the only one averaging over 35 yards per game. Calvin Austin III has made a few big plays to try to complement Metcalf, but he is now on the shelf with a shoulder injury.
With the Steelers' trio of tight ends also failing to produce in the passing game, who could potentially step up to add more playmaking to the pass-catching group? 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson will hopefully be the answer, and it may be now or never for the young wideout.
Pittsburgh Steelers need to see Roman Wilson step up without Calvin Austin III against Browns
Wilson has seldom seen the field through the Steelers' first four games, playing just under 20% of the team's offensive snaps. Despite his low snap count, he is still third among receivers in playing time. That should mean he will get the first crack at replacing Austin against Cleveland, although he will likely rotate with the likes of Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek.
While Wilson has not parlayed his impressive preseason into regular-season production, that is more to do with the offensive scheme than anything he is or isn't doing well. Pittsburgh rarely uses 11 personnel (three receiver sets), often opting for an extra tight end or two to help in the run game.
Opportunities to see the ball are going to be rare for any receiver not named Metcalf, let alone the WR3. Now that he may be the WR2, however, he could see real targets in a game where the Browns' defense will make running the ball very difficult.
It's hard to say what realistic expectations should be for the Michigan product, especially considering he has just one career reception going into this week. If he can just catch a few passes and make something happen with them, that alone would offer more optimism about his future than anything he has shown thus far.
If he is a non-factor yet again, or worse, not even the player who gets the most snaps behind Metcalf, then it will be hard not to wonder if his chances of becoming a difference-maker for the Steelers are already slim to none. Here's hoping he proves his doubters wrong in his biggest opportunity yet.