Steelers' Roman Wilson 'Fired Up' After Initial Depth Chart Was Released

Wilson was seen as the starter in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end), but the problem is that Pittsburgh is not expected to run that very often. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith has historically run the lowest rate of 11 personnel in the NFL, and that has not changed in Pittsburgh. 

Wilson is currently listed as the third string Z receiver behind Austin and Robert Woods. On a team that is expected to only carry five wideouts, Wilson suddenly became a "bubble" player, as he learned that he would have to compete with Woods for the backup job for the last spot in the position group as a whole. Smith and the Steelers fell in love with Ben Skowronek in 2024, so the second-year receiver has to prove himself against a number of other veterans.

That's exactly what he did in Tuesday's practice. Wilson balled out all day long and developed a quick connection with Rodgers. He made play after play as he showed exactly why the Steelers used a Day 2 pick on him back in 2024. Once his job went in jeopardy, everything started clicking. Of course, one great day in training camp is not enough to stick on the 53-man roster. He needs to start stacking great days now.

Wilson also proved that he was not satisfied with one great day. After practice concluded, he went straight to the Jugs machine and started working out there as well, making sure that he doesn't lose his newfound ability to catch almost anything that is thrown in his general direction. Hopefully, that version of Wilson is the one that makes it onto the field every single day. 

Steelers' Expectations Of Wilson Just Skyrocketed

Not only is this latest practice performance the hope for Wilson currently, but it's also the expectation now. He just showed the team exactly how great he can be. Anything less than that will be seen as a disappointing day now. You can't just peak before your first ever preseason game and expect to keep your job. 

As long as Wilson is fighting for his job, he's likely to be motivated to keep going and move up the depth chart. However, that doesn't mean he can start taking breaks and going back to what he was at the beginning of camp. If he regresses back to that, 2025 will be a pivotal year for Pittsburgh's brass to figure out Wilson's long-term future in the Steel City. As long as he keeps his current mindset, he will get more and more playing time, and he could eventually become a long-term starter.