Steelers A to Z: Rookie Roman Wilson could fill void on offense at No. 2 wide receiver spot

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

WR Roman Wilson

Experience/age: Rookie/Turned 23 in June

Contract status: $1,044,576 cap hit for 2024, signed through 2027

The past: Wilson, who stands 6-foot and weighs 192 pounds, was the leading receiver on the Michigan team that won the national championship. The caveat is that the Wolverines had a run-heavy offense, and Wilson’s totals amounted to 48 receptions for 789 yards, as he averaged 16.4 yards per reception.

Wilson, though, made his catches count. He had 12 touchdown receptions, which ranked tied for ninth among all FBS pass catchers.

Wilson spent four seasons on campus. After appearing in six games as a reserve in the pandemic 2020 season, he combined to make nine starts over his sophomore and junior campaigns. That led to his breakthrough year in 2023, which resulted in the Steelers selecting Wilson with their first of two third-round draft choices.

Wilson was the No. 84 player chosen overall and the only skill position player among the Steelers’ seven draft picks.

2024 outlook: The Steelers entered the draft with a glaring hole at wide receiver after trading veteran Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in March. The organization isn’t asking Wilson to entirely fill that void. They brought in a handful of veterans to share the workload.

Still, the Steelers wouldn’t mind if Wilson ascends to that No. 2 receiver role. With a strong training camp and preseason, Wilson could move into a starting spot alongside George Pickens, who is entering his third season. It also would help establish roles with the other receivers on the roster.

Wilson flashed 4.39 speed at the NFL Combine and could be a hidden gem in Arthur Smith’s offense.