Three Steelers WRs Putting in Extra Work to Make Roster

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely headed towards a roster crunch at the bottom end of their wide receiver room.

As of right now, the Steelers are currently rostering 11 wide receivers. Obviously, the roster crunch down to 53 players is far from occurring, but the Steelers went into the previous season with 6 wideouts, so it is bound to come.

On that edge is a grouping of wideouts coming from various situations. One such wide receiver was highly touted out of college, and has been unable to gain his NFL footing. Roman Wilson was selected in the back end of the third round in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he now may be on the outside looking in on the roster.

During a press appearance at OTAs, Wilson was asked about his routine when it comes to what follows the practice periods.

“I just try to do as much as I can honestly,” Wilson said. “I kind of just feel it out. Try to be one of the last three guys out here. Max and Brandon Johnson are always out here with me and just try to be with them.”

Interestingly, Wilson spoke about his main competitors for a spot when speaking about his routine. When the official periods are all done, he spends time with two wideouts, Max Hurleman and Brandon Johnson.

Breaking Down His Competitors

Hurleman was acquired by the Pittsburgh Steelers just after the 2025 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame. He spent his collegiate career as both a running back at Colgate to begin with as well as a cornerback and special teamer at Notre Dame.

Now with the Steelers, he has spent his career thus far on the practice squad and will compete for a role as both a skill position and special teamer for 2026.

Aug 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Max Hurleman (34) catches his breath on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Allison Lawhon-Imagn Images | Allison Lawhon-Imagn Images

Johnson is a bit more of an NFL veteran compared to the other two wideouts, having been in the league since 2022 in various degrees. Johnson entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022, joining the Denver Broncos.

Once on the Broncos, he made the active roster quickly, appearing in 20 games between 2022 and 2023. He would then join the Steelers, moving between the practice squad and active roster in 2024, appearing in three games. He would be cut in 2025, signing with the Buccaneers practice squad, then the Steelers practice squad again, then the Broncos practice squad to end the season. He then resigned in Pittsburgh for 2026.

It is unclear if any of the three will make the active roster, but the Steelers will likely rely on at least two of the three to remain on their payroll on the practice squad for 2026.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!

Add us as a preferred source on Google