In what felt like a twisted version of Groundhog Day, the Pittsburgh Steelers once again enter the 2025 season lacking in the receiver room. While there are some notable new names on the depth chart, the depth is still shallow.
Last year, we saw a similar issue. The Steelers dumped all of their eggs into the George Pickens basket, and while we saw Calvin Austin III make some nice strides, this passing game collapsed when Pickens went out the door.
It looked like the team had a solution when they traded for DK Metcalf, but they turned around and traded Pickens after the fact. Now, the Steelers are in the same spot as they were a year ago, and depth at receiver is still a massive concern.
One would have hoped that Roman Wilson would have filled this role better.
Given the Steelers’ sudden resurgence in receiver interest, that doesn’t appear to be the case. While we don’t know who the receiver will be, it feels like almost a certainty that the team will add someone new before the start of the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have the confidence in Roman Wilson that others do
Receiver speculation cooled early in training camp as the offense seemed to do ok with Austin as the second option to Metcalf. Wilson looked like a fine third option, while Robert Woods would be a dependable veteran option to keep in the mix.
Now, Woods seems like a likely cut, and Wilson struggled through most of camp. He has come on in the preseason, and you can argue that his play in game should be valued higher, but that hasn’t stopped the Steelers from looking elsewhere.
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It started with Gabe Davis making a return trip to Pittsburgh this week. While he left without a contract, that was likely due to his health. Terry McLaurin speculation has run wild. Meanwhile, Ja’Lynn Polk has seen his name surge in recent trade talks for the Steelers.
It feels like a near lock that another receiver will be joining the Steelers, and that is a clear shot against Wilson. Unless that option is a true depth piece, they seem inclined to bring someone in that can serve as a top-three target alongside Austin and Metcalf.
To the team’s credit, this is the right move. While I want Wilson to become a viable starter, banking on him taking those steps without proving himself seems risky. He needs to prove himself behind a veteran before the team can count on him as a starter.
Despite having a string of good preseason games, Wilson hasn’t done enough to earn the trust of the Steelers brass. He will have a role this year, but he needs to prove himself before Pittsburgh can confide in him and give him a bigger role. Maybe another strong showing against the Panthers can cool the rumors surrounding a receiver move.