Roman Wilson’s role is growing fast, and Aaron Rodgers made it clear the Steelers plan to keep feeding him. After back-to-back strong games over a five-day span, Wilson has pushed himself into a bigger part of the offense, and Rodgers said he has “a lot of faith” and “a lot of trust” in him.
That is why who to start with is suddenly a real question around Wilson. He followed a Week 2 drop that led to an interception with two sharp outings, going 3-60-1 in one game and 3-74-1 in another for 6 catches, 134 yards and 2 touchdowns in five days. Through four games this season, he has 14 catches for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns, already topping his entire rookie year of 12 catches for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Rodgers said Wilson is good in the slot and good outside, and said his speed shows up immediately because he plays fast. That matters because the Steelers took Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and have been waiting for his game to catch up to his talent. Now it has started to do that. Wilson has already turned more chances into production, and the coaching staff has reason to keep building around what he can do with the ball in his hands.
There is still a catch. Rodgers also said Wilson needs to keep his catch-and-run moves more north and south, a reminder that the trust is real but not complete. The praise was strong, but it came with a correction, and that is usually what separates a player who gets a look from a player who keeps it. Wilson has the speed, the role and the numbers, but he also has to show he can turn those touches into steady gains instead of sideways ones.
The timing only sharpens the stakes. Michael Pittman Jr. is set to miss time, and the Steelers have already been sorting out the depth chart after trading for Pittman Jr. to be their No. 2 wide receiver behind DK Metcalf and then trading up for Germie Bernard in the second round after missing on Makai Lemon in the first round. That leaves Wilson with a real opening, not just a hot streak. If he keeps producing, the question may not be whether he can hold this role for a week or two. It may be whether the Steelers have finally found a receiver worth keeping on the field every snap they can.
