Roman Wilson did not play on Thursday in the Pittsburgh Steelers' preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills, and Mike McCarthy said the decision came after the team put together two of its best training camp practices on Monday and Tuesday.
McCarthy said the Steelers were satisfied with the amount of work and competitiveness they got in those sessions, and that factored into who played and who did not play against Buffalo. In other words, Wilson had already done enough in practice to make another preseason appearance unnecessary.
That matters because Wilson entered the preseason after an underwhelming rookie year, when he played just five snaps and was a gameday inactive for four of the Steelers' last five games. He also came into camp with a clearer role than he had a year ago. Before the second preseason game, he was penciled in as the Steelers' WR3 and starting slot receiver.
The preseason did not fully match the training-camp optimism. In the Steelers' second preseason game against the Jets, Wilson was the intended target on two interceptions by Will Howard. In the two preseason games he played, Wilson finished with three receptions for 23 yards.
Even so, the decision to keep him out of the preseason finale does not sound like a warning sign for cutdown day on Sunday. If anything, it suggests the Steelers already have a good idea where Wilson fits and do not need one more look before deciding on their 53-man roster.
What it means for Wilson
The important part here is the balance between camp and game action. Wilson's preseason production was modest, but McCarthy's comments point to the Steelers valuing what they saw in practice more than what showed up on the stat sheet. For a player projected as the WR3 and starting slot receiver, that is a sign he remains part of the plan heading into the regular season.
Wilson's situation also fits the broader pattern around Pittsburgh's receiver room this summer. A player can lose momentum in the preseason and still be in a strong position if the coaching staff believes the day-to-day work has been there. That appears to be the case here.
