PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He played just three snaps in the Steelers win over the Vikings. In his rookie season, injury and ineffectiveness led to only five offensive snaps all season. Now with an injury to Calvin Austin, it’s yet another opportunity for wide receiver Roman Wilson.
If you listed an MVP or at least most hyped player during offseason OTAs or even mini-camp, it could have been Wilson. He said he realized he needed to come prepared, treat every day like its game day. GM Omar Khan said he’s saw some excitement in his game.
Austin missed most of training camp in Latrobe, which allowed for many more reps for Wilson. QB Aaron Rodgers discussed Wilson being able to play free and trust his abilities because ‘he’s so damn talented’. While he’s dressed for every game, Wilson has one catch for seven yards and has only a dozen snaps combined in the last two games.
Why is it Wilson can’t find the field?
“I’ve gotten that question a bit from a lot of people,” said Steelers receivers coach Zach Azzanni. “He’s doing great. There’s no ‘Roman’s in the doghouse’ or anything like that. Roman is doing just fine. We just happen to be pretty good at tight end and wide out and what we are doing and running the ball.”
There appears to be another opportunity for the 2024 third-round pick from Michigan, the Steelers number two receiver is now dealing with a shoulder injury. We don’t know the severity for Calvin Austin, but here is another shot.
“Roman is in the mix just like all the other guys,” Azzanni said. “Obviously his role will keep elevating as the season goes on, organically. It will just start to happen. I just tell him when it happens, be ready for that opportunity. He’s been great.”
Azzanni said Wilson has been ‘progressing’ early through the regular season. He said he’s doing a good job.
“When you have a young player like Roman, you are still learning what he can and can’t do,” Azzanni said. “What you can trust him to do. He’s doing a great job every week. He proved in training camp what he can do.”
In preseason, Wilson had a pair of catches in the first game against Jacksonville for 24 yards. He had two catches against Tampa Bay for 72 yards in the next and no receptions in the preseason finale.
Yet it hasn’t happened for him in a regular-season game. His coach believes it will just start to happen. When?