Concerning Roman Wilson injury update could spell doom for Steelers' offense

The Steelers' wide receiver room has been in the news a ton this offseason. From trading Diontae Johnson to drafting Roman Wilson to the will they/won't they trade rumors about Brandon Aiyuk, the room has been a work in progress all summer. A third-round pick out of Michigan, Wilson figured to play a big role in the offense this year, potentially supplanting Calvin Austin III as the starting slot receiver.

However, an injury the first week of training camp left Wilson in a boot and his status for Week 1 is up in the air. Things seemed to be progressing well and it looked like Wilson was all set to return for the season opener in Atlanta.

However, fans received a concerning update Wednesday morning from longtime beat reporter Ray Fittipaldo. In an interview on 93.7 the Fan, Fittipaldo wasn't optimistic about Wilson's chances of playing in the preseason finale:

Preseason injuries to rookies are never a good sign.

This is obviously a super concerning update because it signals some kind of regression in the rehab process for Wilson. If he only missed Week 1, the Steelers should be fine. If Wilson ends up on the IR however, that could spell doom for the wide receiver room and the offense as a whole.

It's been heavily talked about just how thin the wide receiver room in Pittsburgh is. There's a reason they've been involved in trade talks for Brandon Aiyuk for months now. Outside of George Pickens, the team is lacking a real obvious threat to opposing defenses. Wilson's combination of speed, route-running, and hands made him a strong candidate to fill that role. If he opens the season on IR, the Steelers will be forced to turn back to Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, and Scotty Miller to fill that role.

None of those options make me feel super optimistic about the offense this year because they've all established that they're streaky wide receivers at best and backups at worst. And it's a really bad sign for Wilson too.

A rookie missing all of training camp and the first month or two of the season doesn't usually end well. That time is crucial for the development of rookies and adjusting to the NFL playstyle and it would be unfair to expect Wilson to just walk in and contribute right away after missing all that time.

The Steelers went through this with Austin III a few seasons ago when his rookie year ended before it even started with an injury. I'm hoping the diagnosis on Wilson changes soon and that he only misses a week or two. If he ends up on IR, the Steelers could be in serious trouble.