Steelers' Germie Bernard Gets Huge Praise From Teammate: "Already Knows Everything"

The Pittsburgh Steelers were desperate for wide receiver help after the 2025 season exposed the lack of depth at the position. The front office selected University of Alabama wideout Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Bernard steadily improved in his four years at the collegiate level and had a breakout 2025 season with the Crimson Tide, establishing himself as one of the top prospects at the position ahead of the draft. The Steelers addressed the need early on and are taking a chance on a receiver who proved to line up anywhere in the Alabama offense, something that the new coaching staff hopes to get out of all of its pass catchers: versatility. 

Bernard is going to be a big part of the offense early, based not only on the lack of depth but also because there are high expectations for him. He'll have to learn a completely new offense and line up in different places. While he'll more than likely be used primarily in the slot position, he did line up on the outside and even in the backfield at times in college. Similar things will be expected in the Steel City, as the coaching staff looks for receivers to be effective from any position.

The Steelers have just begun 2026's Organized Team Activities (OTAs), and Bernard has started to work with his new offense and quarterbacks in the South Side. In media availability after the practice, Bernard's new teammate, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., gave the rookie a ton of praise for how well he has adjusted to the new playbook. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Christopher Carter posted it on X.

This is a huge sign for his production come 2026. The Steelers will need him to be a huge contributor in the offense for the passing game to be successful, besides Pittman and DK Metcalf. The Steelers don't have a ton of great depth. If Bernard can be a weapon, that would be huge for a passing game that underwhelmed in 2025. Pittsburgh needs as many capable pass catchers as possible, and Bernard is looking to be one of them. 

Bernard can capitalize on the star power on the outside. He can wreak havoc playing from the slot, creating matchup problems for slot corners and even linebackers and safeties. He'll be able to use his 4.48 40-yard dash speed to his advantage there. The offense will use three-receiver sets, which will allow Bernard to see the field a ton early. This will help him develop in the long run. His versatility will be utilized somehow, whether that's with screens, jet sweeps, or option routes. His maturity is another factor that will bode well for him in Pittsburgh. He has clearly been studying and knows how the offense works; this is a big difference from previous Steelers receivers. 

Steelers Have An Interesting Problem At Hand Now

Bernard is emerging as a possible WR3 lock already. This will cause some issues for 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson, who had probably hoped that this year would be the time for him to finally be a big contributor. However, Bernard seems to be creeping his way into having the starting role. This could mean a reduced snap count for Wilson, who may still not get his shot.

Wilson could still carve out a role in the offense, but he'll be pressured by the rookie early. He hasn't had a fair shake yet in his career after a plague of injuries wiped out his rookie season. In 2025, he didn't see much of the field and was even a healthy scratch a couple of times. It will be interesting to see how Bernard could affect Wilson's role. 

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