It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers need help at receiver. Star George Pickens hasn't done himself any favors, getting benched on Sunday Night Football. Veteran Van Jefferson has been dreadful on the boundary, and while Calvin Austin III has flashed, his physical limitations are hard to ignore.
The struggles have had fans clamoring for a move, particularly with Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams in mind.
But there's an in-house option Pittsburgh is yet to explore, and as his debut is delayed, the pressure from fans is mounting.
Third-round rookie receiver Roman Wilson injured his ankle early in training camp, soaking up much of his summer in the process. Making the rookie transition all the more difficult, it isn't necessarily a surprise that Wilson hasn't gotten the nod just yet.
However, the Steelers are getting nothing from their receiving corps, and it's increasingly difficult to imagine Wilson not being even a slight upgrade.
On Thursday, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith explained why the rookie hasn't yet been handed a helmet on gameday.
"You're talking about a lot of time missed for a young player," Smith said, via Mark Kaboly. "He's working very hard, I would imagine it happens sooner or later. It's not a ‘you gotta meet this certain metric.' A lot of it's getting back into game shape. You've got a player who's had such a long way to go, too, but he's doing really well, making progress every day."
Wilson largely projects as a slot receiver, perhaps with some Z-receiver versatility, and can help as an after-the-catch threat. He doesn't pose a huge threat downfield, but given the flurry of out-breaking routes Pittsburgh has used in the quick game, there are avenues to success.
Another factor holding Wilson back is his lack of special teams usage. He's not a true return option, and his measurables don't suggest he'd be great on the return or coverage team. That makes him a lesser option during the roster crunch from 53 to 48.
"It's not like a guy that played four games then missed a week or two," Smith continued. "There's a lot of football, conditioning, and – for a young guy – mentally, too. Very pleased with how much progress he's made."
Smith's words are fairly encouraging. It's hard to blame Wilson for his procrastinated start to the season, too. Between the injury knocking him out of practice to the lingering effects limiting his explosiveness in and out of breaks, Wilson simply wasn't in position to make an impact.
As the offense's issues continue and injuries elsewhere mount, though, the Steelers are running out of reasons to not give Wilson a shot.
