The Pittsburgh Steelers are approaching their final preseason game against the Buffalo Bills after mixed results in their first two bouts. After a solid outing against the Green Bay Packers, which saw both sides of the ball play very well, the offense put up a goose egg against the New York Jets, and the defense got diced by Geno Smith. Since it's just the preseason, most of the big-name starters aren't playing for the Black and Gold, including Aaron Rodgers, TJ Watt, and Cam Heyward, so fans aren't quite seeing what this team will look like at its full potential.
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Pittsburgh Steelers defenders Payton Wilson (41) and Cam Heyward (right) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Not only has much of the first-team offense not been together in games, but also in practice. Rodgers' top two wide receivers, DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr have been out with injuries and haven't gotten many reps together as of late. Both men have returned to practice this week, but it's unclear whether they will suit up Thursday against the Bills. Still, Rodgers hasn't been able to throw to his top targets much in camp over the final days, which could raise concern for the regular season.
Metcalf and Rodgers played together in 2025 and should be more than familiar with one another at this point, but Pittman is in his first season with the Steelers and doesn't have that same chemistry. He was acquired on day one of the 2026 NFL free agency period to be the team's wide receiver two (WR2) and help out Metcalf, but part of that role is building chemistry with the QB.
Team insider Nick Farabaugh recently appeared on an episode of Locked On hosted by Christopher Carter and explained that Pittman and Rodgers will need to knock off some rust. He mentioned that, even throughout the offseason, Rodgers and Pittman were often not on the same page, and with his injury, it may be an even bigger setback.
“I do think this Rodgers-Pittman connection could be one that's rusty, that specific one. They really weren't on the same page very often when they were out there.”
Being veterans, it's more than reasonable to expect things to be ironed out going into Week 1, but still, the more reps, the better. The wide receivers and their timing will be very important in this offense, so Pittman will need to figure things out with Rodgers very quickly. However, Pittman's unfortunate injury has opened things up for another receiver, who should be more than ready when called upon.
“I do think one thing that at least has been a benefit of not having Pittman is now Rodgers and Germie Bernard are gonna be a lot more in sync.”
Rodgers can be a tough quarterback to play with due to his demanding playstyle, especially for rookies. Bernard getting more reps in Pittman's absence could be a blessing in disguise for the offense, however.
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Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard (17) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
He's looked solid in the preseason thus far, and with heat on Roman Wilson as of late, could potentially jump him on the depth chart.
Steelers' Offense Could Have Similar Week 1 As 2025
In 2025, Rodgers didn't see a snap in the preseason and didn't have a full offseason with the receiving corps either. Despite that, they managed to score 34 points in a thrilling season opener victory. Now Rodgers has some solid veteran options that are more than capable to play in the NFL. The addition of Pittman will make teams think twice about bracketing Metcalf, giving both players more one on one opportunities.
With Bernard seeing even more reps in camp and the preseason, he will be able to mesh better with Rodgers than rookies in the past, allowing him to have a huge part in the offense early. Going against the Atlanta Falcons, who are already without their top two edge rushers, the offense could have another huge outing to open the season.
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