Steelers fans held their breath when they learned that Roman Wilson was carted off the field during training camp practice on July 30. The talented wide receiver fielded a jet sweep during team sessions and was tackled awkwardly by cornerback Anthony Averett before leaving the field.
Wilson, the first of Pittsburgh's third-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, was already flashing early at Steelers training camp and appeared to be in line for a big role as a rookie. The initial fear by some was that Wilson had sustained a foot injury.
This instantly served as a reminder of training camp two years ago when Calvin Austin III fractured his foot and was ruled out for the season. When Mike Tomlin declared this as an ankle injury, there was more reason to be optimistic.
Fortunately, the Steelers appeared to have dodged a bullet with Wilson's injury.
On the evening of July 30, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Wilson suffered a sprained ankle and is expected to miss at least two weeks.
Rookie WR Roman Wilson injured his ankle in practice and is expected to be out at least 2 weeks
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) July 30, 2024
This was the best-case scenario for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a reminder that leaving the field on a cart isn't necessarily a sign of a serious injury. Because the training room is far away from the practice fields, the Steelers did this as a precautionary measure for a player who just sustained a lower leg injury.
While we hate to see Pittsburgh's rookie draft picks miss any practice time, every fan would have signed up for this outcome after seeing the viral video of Wilson leaving the practice field on a cart.
With a timetable of a two-week absence at a minimum, Wilson will miss Pittsburgh's first preseason game at home against the Houston Texans on August 9. There's a good chance he will miss the team's second exhibition matchup against the Buffalo Bills on August 17, as this game falls just a few days past the two-week timetable.
Steelers are counting on Roman Wilson in 2024
Regardless of whether or not Wilson suits up in the preseason, the Steelers can be glad that his injury wasn't more serious. Though the Steelers never like to overburden rookies, a lot could be riding on his shoulders in 2024.
We know that George Pickens is going to be the go-to target for Pittsburgh's offense, and tight end Pat Freiermuth will see his share of action in the passing game. Outside of these two pass-catchers, the door is wide open, and Wilson is the most talented of the rest of the group (with the highest upside to boot).
Calvin Austin III has impressive speed and has been running with the first-team offense, but Austin has just 17 receptions on 30 targets in his first two seasons and stands at 5'7 3/4''. It's unreasonable to expect him to be the true WR2 the Steelers are looking for in their offense. Meanwhile, expectations are low for Van Jefferson and underwhelming veterans Scotty Miller and Quez Watkins.
Roman Wilson has the best chance of the group to carve out a sizable role in the passing game opposite Pickens. Pittsburgh Steelers fans can take comfort in knowing that Wilson's rookie season isn't lost and that he will return to the practice field in a few weeks.