The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to get much better results from their wide receivers in 2026 after a disappointing 2025 season. DK Metcalf failed to make the impact that his massive contract suggests he should have, and no other receiver eclipsed even 400 yards. Things have changed this year, as general manager Omar Khan swung a trade for veteran receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and drafted Germie Bernard in the second round of this year's draft.
Despite the new additions, it was 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson who was the talk of training camp this year. He seemed to take major strides after being effectively benched at the end of last season, improving his chemistry with Aaron Rodgers and looking more confident in the new offense led by head coach Mike McCarthy. Unfortunately, that hot start to camp hasn't manifested on the field.
Through two preseason games, Wilson has been targeted six times, catching just three passes for 22 yards. More notably, both of quarterback Will Howard's interceptions against the New York Jets this past week came on throws targeting Wilson, and he has been receiving criticism for how he ran his routes in both instances.
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Roman Wilson needs to back up his practice performance with real production
Even McCarthy himself seemed to indicate that the young receiver wasn't holding up his end of the deal on the two picks thrown by Howard. When asked if Wilson was in the right spot on those plays, he had this to say: "There's always plays that are cleaner than others and those two plays were not clean."
That's not what you want to hear if you are a Steelers fan still holding on to your Roman Wilson stock, but it's a familiar story for the former Michigan Wolverine. Despite his impressive quickness and ball skills coming out of college, he just can't seem to get a grasp on the finer points of playing WR in the NFL.
It doesn't help that his entire rookie season was essentially wiped out due to injury, and that he had to try to figure things out under the very...I'll say "particular" Rodgers at QB during his second year. Still, there is clearly some kind of deficiency that has kept him from translating his camp breakout to his preseason opportunities.
If it really is as simple as not understanding the nuance of each route, or how to adapt on the fly depending on the coverage he is getting, then he may not see the field nearly as much as it first appeared he would. With one preseason game left to play, how he redeems himself in that game could have a real impact on his future in Pittsburgh and in the NFL as a whole.
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