Pittsburgh Steelers WR Roman Wilson is entering the 2026 season without a clear role. While he’ll compete with second-round pick Germie Bernard as the Steelers’ slot receiver, Wilson hasn’t shown much through two seasons. On The SiriusXM Blitz on SiriusXM NFL Radio, NFL Media analyst Rhett Lewis, co-hosting with former Steelers OT and current radio analyst Max Starks, predicted a breakout year for Wilson.
“I think there’s still more on the bone for Roman Wilson,” Lewis said. “Just haven’t seen him a ton, hasn’t had a ton of opportunities. I wonder if he gets some of that this year.”
Starks countered and said that while he agrees Wilson could be a breakout candidate, he needs to focus on making the roster first.
“This is kind of a make-or-break year for Roman Wilson,” Starks said. “Break out, or just breaking and cracking the 53, I think, either way for Roman Wilson, has to be at the top of the priority list for him to figure out if truly he is going to be a Steeler.”
Wilson never seemed to find a connection with Aaron Rodgers last season and spent most of the second half of the season as a gameday inactive. Wilson was on Rodgers’ latest retreat with other pass-catchers and QB Mason Rudolph, a potentially good sign for their chemistry, but training camp will determine whether Wilson has a role or a roster spot.
There’s been plenty of excitement about Bernard, Wilson’s main competition, but The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo noted a few weeks ago that Wilson will be the clear WR3 at the start of training camp. That gives him a good opportunity to seize the role if he plays well. But if Wilson struggles, the Steelers may have incentive to move on from him completely. With rookie WR Kaden Wetjen and RB/WR Eli Heidenreich in the mix, it might not make sense to keep Wilson if the team feels his contributions will be limited.
With the amount of depth the Steelers have, there’s going to be a surprise cut or two. Wilson could fit the bill as a player who doesn’t make the 53 to allow the team to be deeper elsewhere.
Wilson knows as well as anybody what he’s facing when training camp begins. If he looks solid and shows off improved chemistry with Rodgers, Wilson could contribute and potentially have a breakout third season. The alternative could lead to him wearing a different uniform in 2026.
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