Steelers' Roman Wilson Has Given The Organization Legitimate Cause For Concern Moving Forward

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a fantastic draft in 2024, however the fan base is going to have to wait to see four of those players. Troy Fautanu, Roman Wilson, Logan Lee, and Ryan Watts played in a combined two games during their rookie season, as they all struggled with serious injuries. Fautanu suffered a knee injury after a good debut in Week 2, and Wilson suffered an ankle injury at the start of training camp and struggled to make it back onto the field. Lee and Watts both missed the entire regular season due to injuries they suffered in the preseason.

Pittsburgh selected Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he seemed like a pro-ready wide receiver that would be able to make an immediate impact on the field. That couldn't happen as the rookie suffered a bad ankle sprain on the first day of pads during training camp, and he then suffered a hamstring injury during a regular season practice. Wilson saw the field for one regular season game against the Las Vegas Raiders, but he was inactive for every other game, although it felt like he would have been healthy enough to get a helmet near the end of the year. Bob Labriola answered questions from fans, and spoke about another reason Wilson was kept off the field.

"It was only after the Steelers started Wilson's 21-day clock to come off Injured Reserve that he was 'working his tail off and doing good in practice,'" Labriola wrote. "My understanding of the situation is that at no point was there a legitimate level of confidence that Roman Wilson understood the offense and his responsibilities within it to the degree that would allow him to execute it at game speed during the stretch run of an NFL regular season."

Wilson never instilled enough confidence in the coaching staff during his rookie year, which is completely understandable considering the fact that he missed most of training camp. The rookie also missed every preseason game, and the beginning of the regular season while recovering from his ankle sprain. He probably kept his head in his playbook and studied, but it is hard to adjust to the NFL as a rookie - especially when you can't actually be on the field practicing.

There were high hopes for Wilson from the fan base, and those hopes will carry into 2025. If the young wide receiver can come into the season fully healthy, he should be able to have a decent season. Currently, it is unclear where he will place within the wide receiver room. Several moves could be made throughout the offseason, and the organization should be looking to address the position in the draft once again.

Missing nearly an entire season can't feel good, especially when Wilson was forced to play catch up throughout the entire year. He should be attacking the offseason with a vengeance, and it is a certainty that he will come back a better version of himself in 2025.

Steelers' Coaching Staff Not Losing Faith In Roman Wilson

Wilson did not meet his expectations for his rookie year, but that was clearly out of his control. The coaching staff should still be backing him going into his sophomore season, although he will have to earn his place in the lineup. The wide receiver hasn't seen the field much, but he is likely one of the better route runners currently on the roster in Pittsburgh. 

Wilson should be able to carve out a significant role for himself in 2025 if he is able to remain healthy throughout training camp and the regular season. The Steelers will probably look to add another rookie and a veteran to the wide receiver room, but Wilson should still be attacking training camp with a good mindset. His rookie year was out of his control, but moving forward, his career is in his own hands.

What do you expect from Wilson moving forward? Let us know in the comments below!

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