Jayden Higgins’ torn ACL on Tuesday did more than shake up the Houston Texans’ receiver room. It also put a name back into circulation for teams looking for help at wideout: Roman Wilson.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the obvious club to get those calls. Wilson, a 25-year-old third-round pick, has spent two seasons trying to get his career off the ground, and the raw production is still modest: 12 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns in 14 career games.
Even so, those numbers all represent career highs in 2025. For a Texans team that just lost 525 yards and six touchdowns from its 2025 second-round pick, Wilson would make sense as a change-of-scenery gamble behind Nico Collins.
He’d also be a hard sell for Pittsburgh.
Wilson’s path in the NFL has been a mess of bad timing. An ankle injury wiped out his first training camp, a hamstring injury ended his rookie year, and then five healthy scratches over Pittsburgh’s final six games last season turned Year 2 into another lost stretch.
That’s why a fresh start could appeal to Houston. He’s under contract through 2027, can line up inside or outside, and would add depth even if he can’t duplicate Higgins’ size or rookie production.
But the Steelers have reasons to hold tight. DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman Jr. (hamstring) both missed practice with minor injuries, and while neither issue sounds serious, both are expected to be ready for Week 1. Trading Wilson now would create the same depth headache Pittsburgh has spent several offseasons trying to avoid.
There’s also the simple fact that Wilson is finally giving the Steelers something to work with. He’s been getting first-team reps, put together a two-touchdown practice with Aaron Rodgers, and has looked comfortable in Mike McCarthy’s system. After two seasons of either being unavailable or stuck behind others, he’s actually stacking useful practices.
The Steelers may have a real decision brewing at the bottom of the receiver chart. Germie Bernard could win the No. 3 job, but leaning on a rookie for every slot snap feels like too much.
Brandon Smith has dealt with a leg injury, and the rest of the room is mostly made up of special-teams pieces or players who are still projections on offense. If another receiver goes down, Rodgers could be left thin fast.
That’s why Wilson’s trade value probably doesn’t line up with the risk of moving him. Twelve NFL catches won’t fetch much, and a late Day 3 pick in 2027 doesn’t do much for Pittsburgh in 2026. His upside matters more to a team trying to win with Rodgers right now.
Wilson also didn’t exactly make a splash in the preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, though there’s not much to read into there. He caught his lone target for seven yards and didn’t stay on the field long.
That game was more about rookies and players new to the preseason roster than it was about Wilson, so the short outing shouldn’t be treated as a setback. His route work, blocking, and reliability still need more live reps, and he should get them in the Steelers’ upcoming games against the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Houston can call. Omar Khan should at least pick up. But with Metcalf and Pittman sidelined, Wilson has first-team work waiting at the next practice, and Pittsburgh may be better off seeing what it has before it makes a mistake.
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