The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the offseason searching for a proven wide receiver to play opposite George Pickens. General manager Omar Khan appeared to have achieved that goal by acquiring DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks. It’s back to square one after the Steelers dealt Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in early May.
The Steelers are now searching for a receiver to support Metcalf in the offense. The battle for the WR2 spot will likely come down to Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson. It would greatly benefit the Steelers if Wilson emerged victorious.
Roman Wilson today at OTAs pic.twitter.com/YSqTiLQ0b1
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) May 29, 2025
Khan drafted Wilson with the No. 84 overall selection in last year's draft after a terrific pre-draft process and National Championship-winning campaign at Michigan. The hope was for Wilson to make an immediate impact on a thin depth chart. That projection never came to fruition.
Wilson suffered an ankle injury during the first padded practice of Steelers training camp, causing him to miss the remainder of camp and the entire preseason. Wilson missed crucial reps during what should have been an acclimation period for him. It helped completely derail his rookie season.
Wilson returned from IR in Week 6, playing a handful of offensive snaps. He suffered a setback two weeks later, landing on IR again with a hamstring injury. Wilson never returned, meaning his rookie campaign concluded after five total snaps.
It was Austin III who took advantage of those available snaps. Austin III finished first in touchdowns (four) among Steelers receivers, and second in receiving yards (548) and receptions (36). He'll now hope that continuity in Arthur Smith's system will help him fend off a healthy Wilson throughout OTAs and training camp.
Both Wilson and Austin III will face competition from veteran receiver Robert Woods, the team's lone notable acquisition at the position in free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft (they didn’t draft a single receiver). The 33-year-old Woods is well past his prime and hasn’t posted a 1,000-yard season since 2019. If the aging wideout defeats Austin III and Wilson, something went terribly wrong.
🌲🌲🌲 @robertwoods pic.twitter.com/74OpziS3H3
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 27, 2025
The other deciding factor will be at quarterback. The Steelers have been heavily linked to signing Aaron Rodgers, though the future Hall of Famer is taking his time on making a decision. If Rodgers does join, he's had a career-long tendency of favoring receivers. Whoever he possesses better chemistry with between Austin III and Wilson would be the WR2. If Mason Rudolph or Will Howard ends up the quarterback, the whole passing game suffers.
This offseason is about regaining confidence for Wilson. The Honolulu native posted 48 receptions for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns during his final title-winning season at Michigan. Wilson then lit up the Senior Bowl by proving he's an elite separator, and also ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Wilson must stay healthy throughout training camp and the preseason. If Wilson is available, he possesses a direct pathway to take advantage of Pickens' departure. It would be incredibly disappointing if Austin III and/or Woods end up more productive than him in 2025.
