Well, that wasn’t stressful at all. The Brandon Aiyuk saga is mercifully over after the rising star signed the 5th largest contract ever for a Wide Receiver, earning a 4-year, $120M extension with $76M guaranteed to remain with the San Francisco 49ers.

It was a drama-filled ordeal from the beginning, with the Steelers reported to be in the mix for the disgruntled WR’s services since before the 2024 NFL Draft. General Manager Omar Khan had his eyes set on a major addition to the WR room to complement the team’s top pass-catcher, George Pickens, and Aiyuk was a prime target because of his desire for a new contract, the 49ers apparent reluctance to give him that contract, and the fact that Aiyuk himself expressed real interest in a move to Pittsburgh as his preferred destination if a trade were to actually materialize.

The Steelers miss out despite the drawn-out effort, and it didn’t seem like there was much urgency on their part to push a deal through by raising their offer to meet San Francisco’s asking price (reportedly a 2nd and 3rd round pick). While it’s admirable that GM Omar Khan held firm to what he deemed an acceptable offer, it seems strange that a team lacking anything close to a sure thing at the WR2 position wouldn’t be willing to pay what was necessary to add a talent like Brandon Aiyuk.

The way this whole situation turned out got me thinking: what if the Steelers feel good about a specific player on their current roster eventually stepping into that WR2 role?

Much of the discourse around the Steelers WR concerns has centered around new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme, with many pundits citing previous versions of Smith’s offense feeding one big-play receiver and then relying on role-playing types to fill out the rest of the production at the position. Others have determined that the scheme’s reliance on multiple Tight Ends and a high-volume rushing attack could limit the number of actual targets available for multiple high-end receivers.

Those arguments have some merit, but the fact of the matter is the Steelers will need more than George Pickens and top TE Pat Freiermuth to perform as reliable pass-catchers if this offense wants to improve on its abysmal showings from the last 3 years specifically.

A lot of people will point to 2024 Free Agent acquisition Van Jefferson as the top candidate to handle WR2 duties for Pittsburgh. He’s the most experience receiver on the Steelers roster, but he hasn’t shown the ability to play at that level in his previous stops with the Rams and Falcons. After Jefferson, it’s pretty clear that guys like 3rd-year receiver Calvin Austin III and journeyman Scottie Miller aren’t cut out for that kind of role either.

Enter Rookie WR Roman Wilson out of the University of Michigan. The dynamic former Wolverine profiles as a versatile, speedy weapon with impressive YAC ability and a workman-like demeaner as a blocker in the run game. He’s a great fit for Arthur Smith’s offense, and is the true Wild Card of this group because we don’t know just how good he could be at the NFL level.

Wilson flashed real big-play ability in college, but the hype around him was diminished by an injury suffered at practice after the team’s 1st Preseason game, keeping him on the sideline for the remainder of Camp and the Preseason. Wilson hit the practice field last week for the first time since his injury, but while the Steelers figure to work him in slowly, his untapped upside and the team’s lack of proven options at the position could force the Steelers to put him on the field before they typically would a 3rd-Round Rookie.

Wilson needs refinement, specifically as a route-runner and likely needs time to really work his way into a prominent role, but if Pittsburgh believes he has the goods to eventually take over as the WR2 for this team at some point this season, it could explain their passive approach in pursuit of an upgrade at the position.

If this is indeed the play after losing out on Brandon Aiyuk, it’s a big gamble for Omar Khan and this front office. The bet could pay off if Wilson can get up to speed quickly and realize his potential. If not, the Steelers could find themselves scrambling at the Trade Deadline to add a playmaker on the outside.