Wide receiver was one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest weaknesses last year. DK Metcalf was their No. 1, but no one behind him stepped up. There was hope that a healthy Roman Wilson would contribute, but he had a disappointing season. He finished the year with only 12 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns, and he even got benched toward the end of the season. NFL insider Adam Caplan explained why Wilson didn’t receive many opportunities in 2025.
“Roman Wilson, they had high hopes for when they drafted him,” Caplan said Tuesday on the Inside the Birds podcast. “Apparently, he’s got great hands, but the former staff got down on him early because he got hurt. If you’re young, players will explain to me, with [Mike] Tomlin, and you get hurt, it’s out of sight, out of mind, unfortunately. But he could accelerate after the catch.”
Wilson was the Steelers’ first of two third-round pick in 2024, and there was hope that he could help replace the loss of Diontae Johnson. However, he only appeared in one game during an injury-plagued rookie season.
However, the Steelers didn’t forget about him after that. Tomlin went out of his way to compliment Wilson on multiple occasions in 2025. The Steelers didn’t make any major additions to their receiver room last year. That felt like their way of giving Wilson opportunities. It seemed like they believed he could step up once he was healthy.
Still, Tomlin’s praise didn’t match how much he used Wilson. The young receiver got benched, and while he returned to the lineup after DK Metcalf was suspended, he still didn’t do much, barely getting on the field.
Maybe Caplan is correct that Wilson missing almost all of his rookie year caused him to fall out of favor with Tomlin. However, there are examples of young Steelers who struggled to stay healthy and still received opportunities.
Look at Cory Trice Jr., who missed his entire rookie year due to injury. Despite that, Trice wasn’t buried on the depth chart in his second season. Tomlin gave him chances to start the year, and Trice even recorded a big interception in Week 2. Unfortunately, Trice continued to be plagued by injuries, and the Steelers recently let him go.
However, he was still in a similar position as Wilson, and Tomlin didn’t give up on him. There are other examples, too, like Calvin Austin III. He missed his entire rookie year with an injury, but he still carved a role out for himself over his other three seasons in Pittsburgh.
Wilson’s lack of chemistry with Aaron Rodgers loomed large in his poor 2025 season. While the Steelers have a new coaching staff, Rodgers is still their quarterback. Wilson gets a clean slate, but he could still struggle to produce or even see the field. Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard could take opportunities from him, too. Wilson’s roster spot could even be in jeopardy if he isn’t careful.