Logo

Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith Praises Second-Year WR’s Progress, Eyes Potential Starting Role

Training Camp is only just heating up, but second-year wide receiver Roman Wilson is already making waves in Pittsburgh.

Known for his speed and route-running out of Michigan, Wilson has taken a noticeable step forward this offseason — and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith is among the first to acknowledge it.

“Roman’s doing everything right,” Smith said after Thursday’s practice.
“If he keeps stacking days like this, he’s going to make it very hard for us to keep him off the field - and Coach Tomlin absolutely agrees.”

Wilson, drafted in 2024, saw limited targets in his rookie campaign but impressed coaches with his professionalism and willingness to grind. This year, he arrived at camp leaner, faster, and clearly more comfortable in the Steelers’ offensive system.

Rookie Recap: Roman Wilson

He’s been lining up both outside and in the slot, creating matchup problems for defenders and showing strong chemistry with all quarterbacks — including Aaron Rodgers.

With DK Metcalf firmly entrenched as WR1 and Calvin Austin III stepping into a bigger role, Wilson may be carving out a surprise path into the starting trio — or at the very least, a heavy rotational role.

His work ethic, according to coaches, has been “relentless.” Teammates have noticed too, with one veteran calling him “the guy who never takes a rep off.”

There’s still plenty of camp left, but one thing is clear: Roman Wilson has put the league on notice.

And if Arthur Smith’s praise is any indication, the Steelers might have found another reliable weapon ready to step up when September rolls around.

Jerry Jones Speaks Out, Criticizes the Controversy Surrounding the Cowboys WR After the Loss to the Lions
DALLAS — Jerry Jones has finally had enough. In a fiery radio interview on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning, the Cowboys owner publicly ripped into star wide receiver George Pickens for his explosive, now-deleted Instagram beef with Richard Sherman following the Thanksgiving nightmare against the Detroit Lions. “I love everything George has done this year,” Jones said. “But let me be very clear — I don’t want to see him sitting on Instagram arguing with Richard Sherman or anybody else. Put the phone down, stop the social media nonsense, and focus on playing football. That’s what we pay him for.” Mic drop. The 82-year-old owner rarely calls out his own players by name in public, making this one of the sharpest rebukes in recent Cowboys history. Quick recap of the chaos: Lions game: CeeDee Lamb gets hurt and leaves early → Pickens disappears with a miserable 5 catches for 37 yards. Richard Sherman goes on TV and says Pickens “quit on routes” and showed zero effort. Pickens claps back with a savage (and quickly deleted) Instagram story: “Old man still talking.” Internet explodes. Despite the ugly performance, Pickens still leads the Cowboys in every major receiving stat (78 receptions, 1,179 yards, 8 TDs), but Jerry Jones just drew a line in the sand: the social media wars end today. “I have zero concern about George competing and helping us win games on the field,” Jones continued. “My only concern is him wasting time and energy on this Instagram back-and-forth instead of turning the page.” Will this public dressing-down light a fire under Pickens… or pour gasoline on an already raging controversy? One thing is certain — every snap this Sunday will be scrutinized like never before. Is Jerry Jones right to go nuclear on his star WR? Or did he just make the drama ten times worse?