The Pittsburgh Steelers turned a lot of heads when they drafted WR/KR/PR Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s not that Wetjen isn’t talented. He won the Jet Award for being the best returner in college football two years in a row, the first time that’s ever happened. He led FBS in punt return yards (563), yards per punt return (26.8), and punt return touchdowns (3) in 2025.
The reason people questioned the pick was that Kaden Wetjen hadn’t proven anything as a wide receiver. He had more kick returns (26) and punt returns (26) in 2024 than he had career catches (23). He did have the biggest play of the Steelers’ first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers as a wide receiver, though.
Unfortunately, in the Steelers’ second preseason game, he had a case of the butter fingers. He bobbled one return and fumbled a second one. Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Crossman defended him after the game, but it was bad. Could Wetjen cost himself a roster spot?
“No,” Beat writer Mark Kaboly said Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan’s The Pomp And Joe Show. “First of all, they view him as a potential long-term wide receiver option as a three or a four. So, I don’t think so. I think with that and the fourth-round pick, I think he pretty much makes it.”
People are arguing over whether the Steelers should cut bait on last year’s third-round pick, RB Kaleb Johnson. How much harder would it be for people, including the Steelers’ front office and coaching staff, to stomach cutting this year’s fourth-round pick? Johnson at least wasn’t picked by the current coaching staff.
Now, our own Matthew Marczi debated whether the Steelers will keep Kaden Wetjen on the 53-man roster this year or not. He does see a path where the Steelers waive him after the initial roster cutdown. He used former Steelers fourth-round pick CB Doran Grant as an example.
However, would some other team swoop in for Kaden Wetjen if the Steelers try to take that route? It’s certainly possible. If Kaboly is right that the Steelers view Wetjen as long-term wide receiver depth as well as a high-end returner, they won’t want to risk that.
Obviously, plenty can change before Week 1. Just don’t be surprised if Kaden Wetjen is on the roster, according to Kaboly. His becoming a long-term depth answer at wide receiver would be a big deal, obviously. And that’s what Kaboly thinks they’re seeing. That would definitely be well worth the fourth-round pick.
