Roman Wilson was one of the hottest topics heading into training camp after missing nearly all of his rookie season due to injuries. At first, there was some worry as Wilson didn’t get off to the quickest start. He’s subsequently put all that to bed now, with two great preseason performances in as many weeks. His new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is taking notice.
“He’s got a chance to be special in this league,” Rodgers said Tuesday, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski on X.
Aaron Rodgers is bullish on Roman Wilson
“He’s got a chance to be special in this league”
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 19, 2025
Roman Wilson surely was special in the team’s first two preseason season games. Most notably against the Buccaneers, against whom he caught two passes for 72 yards, leading the team in receiving yards. A large portion of those came from this play after Wilson got behind the second level of the defense and caught a pretty ball from Mason Rudolph.
Wilson’s not in the easiest position heading into Year 2. Injuries sidelined him for essentially all of 2024, yet Pittsburgh is counting on the former third-round pick to produce quickly. DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III will lead the unit, but Wilson is expected to fill the WR3 role quickly. That’s a lot of pressure on someone who hasn’t caught an NFL pass before.
Roman Wilson doesn’t seem to worry about that pressure. And he’s responding to it quite well. The production he’s providing in the preseason is obviously important. But perhaps most importantly, he looks confident. He’s running his routes well, there’s been no issues with drops, and he looks comfortable on the field. That’s a massive thing to have going for him in a year with such high expectations and Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball.
He’s been playing so well he’s making a case for the WR2 job. That role probably goes to Austin once he returns, which should be before Week 1. Austin has much more regular-season experience, and is coming off a solid 2024 season, so putting him in that spot makes sense. However, Wilson’s strong end to camp and preseason has to have the Steelers feeling confident.
If Roman Wilson can carry this success into the regular season, Pittsburgh could have a sneaky talented trio at receiver. Aaron Rodgers is already noticing.
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