As organized team activities start today for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the eye test begins that seems to gain traction from here until the start of the regular season. Of course the rookies are under the watchful eyes of coaches and fans, however, there is a must-watch player who technically isn’t a rookie, but will be going into his first season on the field: Roman Wilson.
Alan Saunders of Locked On Steelers said, “I think he’s one of the players that can be proven this time of the year.” Wilson will not only be proving to the coaching staff that he was a smart third-round draft pick, but also proving that he can compete for a starting position as a wide receiver. While projected to be a slot receiver, the Steelers are in desperate need to take pressure off DK Metcalf this year, and open up the field for whoever will be at quarterback.
The Steelers have yet to sign any other significant free agent wide receiver apart from Metcalf, which makes people wonder if they are waiting for the coaches to evaluate Wilson over OTAs. Although the nature of OTAs may not show how physical Wilson is, plenty of data can be gathered when watching the receiver position this week.
Chris Carter said, “That might be something else they’re holding onto. They wanna see what type of guys they have before they determine what time of wide receiver they get, whether it’s trade or they sign another receiver in free agency.”
This makes it ultra-important for Wilson to be crisp and precise this week, as every practice is meaningful for the coaching staff. The NFL scouting report from two years ago stated that Wilson’s strengths were stretching the field, driving past defenders, post-catch acceleration, and his focus when catches become contested. On the other hand, weaknesses included routes lacking consistent leverage, having one speed during his routes, and inconsistent elusiveness.
Many believe that Roman Wilson will be a make or break player this year for the Steelers, as he is expected to be a must-watch player during the first week of OTAs.