Unofficial Move By The Steelers Proves To Be Bad News For 1 Polarizing Player

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been having issues at the wide receiver position for a few seasons now. Mainly, it has consistently been the lack of weapons in the passing game, and the organization has done some good work throughout the 2026 offseason to address that. The Steelers completed a trade with the Indianapolis Colts right at the start of the tampering period of free agency to acquire wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. This was in exchange for a late-round pick swap, which was fantastic value as the move was just a salary dump for the Colts. This upgraded the room immediately, as did Pittsburgh's 2026 NFL Draft.

DK Metcalf and Pittman are going to lead the way in the wide receiver room, while Roman Wilson is still trying to make his presence felt in the NFL. He finally got on the field a little bit in 2025, but he didn't seem to have the best connection with Aaron Rodgers. Pittsburgh then drafted wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, so it is going to be interesting to see how the snaps are divided up between those two players. Beat writer Gerry Dulac was asked about this during a recent chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, as a fan wrote in asking if Bernard is already ahead of Wilson on the depth chart.

"Maybe not officially, but I'm sure unofficially," Dulac wrote.

NFL franchises don't have to release an official depth chart during this time of the year, but on ESPN Bernard is listed ahead of Wilson in the wide receiver room. That doesn't mean much, as it is just speculation, but it is fair to assume that Bernard will get a chance to run with the starters when the offense is in 11 personnel.

This would clearly be bad news for Wilson, who looked like he might have found some footing during the 2025 season before becoming a consistent healthy scratch. It was a rough end to a rough two seasons for the young wide receiver, but he should be excited about a fresh start under a new coaching staff. There might be some more competition in the room after the franchise drafted Bernard, but Wilson can put up a strong battle and prove and he can play a pivotal role on the offense.

Wilson essentially missed his rookie season in 2024, and he then played sparingly in 2025. He caught 12 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns, although some of that production came in garbage time of games that were already out of reach. Rodgers was very demanding of his wide receivers, and it became clear that Wilson was not doing whatever the veteran quarterback wanted. He couldn't trust Wilson, but maybe that will change going into 2026 if the quarterback decides to return to Pittsburgh.

Steelers' Germie Bernard Will Need To Develop A Good Relationship With Aaron Rodgers

All signs point towards the Steelers having Rodgers as the starter once again in 2026. He and Wilson did not have the best connection or the best relationship. It is pivotal that the same thing does not happen between him and Bernard. Rodgers does not work well with younger wide receivers, and working with the quarterback could hurt a young player's confidence. It is a dangerous situation for Bernard, but he is coming in as a player that has a ton of experience in different systems at the college level. Hopefully that is something that could help him as he transitions into his professional career.

Bernard is an exciting addition for the franchise, and he is a willing blocker. He is versatile on offense, and he should turn into a high-impact player for the Steelers.

What do you think the split should be at wide receiver between Bernard and Wilson? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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