Despite being a 2024 third-round pick, Roman Wilson is still trying to find his NFL footing. An injury wiped out his rookie season, and he just hasn’t gotten many looks in his sophomore year either.
However, that’s starting to change. Wilson had the best game of his young career on Sunday, and former Steeler Trai Essex is very happy with what he saw. He thinks Wilson should get more looks going forward than Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who, the Steelers reportedly plan to sign.
“Nothing against MVS, he’s had some good years with Aaron Rodgers,” Essex said Tuesday on 93.7 The Fan. “And I don’t know if this is a practice squad signing, maybe it’s being overreported and it’s not as big of a splash as we’re making it out to be. But the one bright spot that I think did come out of the game was the way Roman Wilson looked. He looks like a guy that wants to be out there. He wants to attack the ball. And his general disposition after he catches it, he wants to get in the action. So I liked the way he looked, and I hope he gets more shine.”
Wilson got off to a quick start on Sunday. On the Steelers’ opening drive, he caught a deep ball from Aaron Rodgers.
What’s encouraging is the chemistry Rodgers and Roman Wilson show here. Wilson is breaking to the middle of the field, but Rodgers throws to the sideline, and Wilson immediately changes his route, locates the ball in the air, and then manages to get both feet down in bounds. It’s a good bit of skill and he clearly has a feel for what his quarterback wants him to do.
Sunday was by far Wilson’s best game as a Steeler. He was targeted five times and caught four passes, turning them into 74 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
It could be a sign that he’s starting to build some momentum. Against Cleveland and Cincinnati, Wilson finally started to see some targets, but never had a chance to do much with them. Sunday was a good showing for him, putting his first consistent and complete game together, with career-best numbers in each major stat category.
However, the wide receiver room could be a little more crowded in the near future. The Steelers are reportedly bringing in Valdes-Scantling and could look at the trade market for receiving help as well. Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that the Steelers will be buyers at the trade deadline, and they’ve been rumored to have interest in the receiver market.
Yet, Roman Wilson seems to be earning the trust of his quarterback. At a time when the Steelers need someone to step up, he’s starting to do so. We’ll see if he can carry this momentum into Sunday against Indianapolis.
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