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Roman Wilson Has One of the Best Situations for a Rookie WR

Originally posted on Steelers Now | By Chris Ward | Last updated 5/21/24

With the Pittsburgh Steelers lacking depth at the wide receiver position, third-round pick Roman Wilson should receive a ton of snaps in his rookie season. As it stands now, he’s the team’s No. 2 wide receiver.

Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the rookie wide receivers by situation, and he tabbed Wilson with the 10th-best circumstance. He envisions that Wilson will get 80 or more targets as the No. 2 wide receiver opposite of George Pickens.

“The Steelers traded away their No. 2 wide receiver in Diontae Johnson, and the rumored trade for a top target has yet to materialize. While it’s tough to see Wilson supplanting George Pickens as the top target in Pittsburgh as a rookie, his path to the No. 2 spot is relatively clear,” McGuinness wrote.

“That means that 80 or more targets is not out of the question for Wilson, and the Steelers’ quarterback situation is likely to be better in 2024 than it was in 2023.”

Wilson is somewhat undersized, checking in at 5-foot-10 3/4 and 185 pounds, but showed excellent athleticism in pre-draft testing. He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, a 4.07-second shuttle and 6.89-second three-cone drill at the 2024 NFL Combine, resulting in an 8.59 RAS out of 10.

Wilson excels especially in crossing routes and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty with throwing blocks. According to Tony Pauline, Wilson is viewed through a ‘Hines Ward lens’ within the Steelers organization as a tough player who wins between the numbers.

Trading for a wide receiver is still on the table, but probably won’t be addressed until training camp or before the season. How Wilson performs in training camp and the preseason could dictate the Steelers’ decision.

“We feel good about where we’re at, but obviously there’s still some unfinished business until we get into the season and we start winning football games and we reach our goal, which is to win a Super Bowl,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said earlier this month during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show .

This article first appeared on Steelers Now and was syndicated with permission.

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