While the Pittsburgh Steelers waited until the second round to draft a wide receiver, the early reviews on Germie Bernard have been positive.
Bernard is expected to play a key role in Pittsburgh’s receiver room this season, and SI’s Justin Melo believes Bernard will be one of the league’s most impactful rookies in 2026. Melo ranked Bernard No. 22 on his list of rookies expected to make the biggest impact.
“Germie Bernard was the savviest route runner in the receiver class, and he’ll do an excellent job working underneath the coverage while DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. play a more vertical game for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Melo wrote.
Bernard was the only Steelers’ rookie on the list.
He won’t be handed a role immediately, as Bernard will have to compete with Roman Wilson in training camp for Pittsburgh’s slot receiver job. Bernard has been hard at work training with Wilson this offseason, and there’s a path for both of them to contribute this season.
Under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers were often slow to play rookies, but that could change with Mike McCarthy taking over this offseason.
It may open up a door for Bernard to potentially start early in the season, though Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes Bernard’s opportunity will come later.
Regardless of when his big opportunity comes, Bernard has impressed throughout offseason workouts and will still have a role for the Steelers this season. A strong route runner who is also a willing blocker, it’s hard to see Bernard not making an impact.
With Max Iheanachor not guaranteed to start, Bernard very well may be Pittsburgh’s most productive and impactful rookie this season.
The Steelers invested in the receiver room this offseason by trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and drafting Bernard, and the two could revitalize a room that’s struggled in recent years. In what’s going to be Aaron Rodgers’ final season, those two can help open things up for DK Metcalf, working underneath and over the middle with Rodgers looking to get the ball out quickly.
Bernard has shown more polish than a traditional rookie receiver and is embracing working with Aaron Rodgers. While Rodgers has been known to be tough on rookies, Bernard could earn his trust early and become a real weapon for Pittsburgh.
While drafting Bernard may not have been a splashy move at the time, there’s potential for him to be a difference-maker now and in the future for the Steelers. His rookie year impact could prove to be one of the keys for the Steelers as they look to repeat as AFC North champions in 2026.