Even after all of the offseason additions that the Pittsburgh Steelers have made in 2025, the development of their young players is still the biggest factor in how things will play out this season.
Training camp has gone very well overall in that regard, with many rookie and second-year players standing out in practice. Guys like Derrick Harmon, Troy Fautanu, Yahya Black, and Payton Wilson have all shown encouraging signs that they can be impact players in 2025.
One player who hadn't shown the same positive signs is 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson, who seemed to be buried on the depth chart after multiple lackluster practices to start camp. Luckily for the Steelers fans, Wilson's Tuesday practice finally showed major signs of development for the young receiver.
Roman Wilson's latest practice is giving Pittsburgh Steelers fans hope at receiver
With Calvin Austin III missing another practice due to injury, Wilson stepped up in a big way at Tuesday's practice. He made multiple impressive grabs in both team drills and one-on-one situations, showcasing the quickness and ability to separate that made him so hard to guard at Michigan.
He also showed better chemistry with Aaron Rodgers, and that may be more important than anything in terms of getting on the field in a featured role.
Aaron Rodgers connects with Roman Wilson for a chunk gain on the dig route. Wilson was wide open. 25 yards at least.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) August 5, 2025
You never want to see a player get banged up, but Austin III missing time may end up being a net positive for the offense as a whole. His injury doesn't seem to be significant in any way, and it is giving Wilson more opportunities to build confidence and string together good practices with the starting offense.
Ideally, the former third-rounder will be able to earn the starting slot receiver job by the time the season rolls around, and this practice was the first step towards accomplishing that task. No offense to Robert Woods or Scotty Miller, but Wilson is the only receiver on the roster who has legitimate upside.
With the Steelers' first preseason game just days away, Wilson will get his first real shot at playing significant reps since his final college season. Hopefully, he keeps up his strong play and gives fans hope for his future in Pittsburgh.