Steelers' Germie Bernard May Have Finally Passed Roman Wilson After A Critical Mistake In Week 3

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense finally put together a complete game in their Week 3 win against the Cincinnati Bengals and, for the first time in a long time, looked creative. From the opening drive, the offense had intention, with a nice man-beater on third down that sprung Roman Wilson wide open for a touchdown. Later in the quarter, Wilson converted another third-and-long and looked poised for a career day, until he made a crucial mistake at the end of the first half that put Cincinnati in position to score. 

Aaron Rodgers and the offense had a drive going that looked bound to end in points until, in a scramble drill, Rodgers fired the ball into Wilson's hands, and it got tipped into the air for an interception. A mistake that very well could have been game-losing, but luckily the defense prevailed on the final drive. Even though they won, Wilson saw little action after the interception; instead, rookie Germie Bernard stepped in. 

Wilson and Bernard have been battling for the team's WR3 spot all offseason, and so far it's been mostly Wilson. Even though Wilson has been featured more, the media has had no doubt Bernard will get his chance. On Sunday, that was the case, as insider Nick Farabaugh offered brief, eye-opening insight.  

On 93.7 The Fan, Joe Starkey fired quick questions at the insider, including whether Wilson enhanced his status or hurt it against the Bengals. Farabaugh didn't offer much beyond their snap counts, which may tell fans all they need to know. Following Wilson's critical drop that led to an interception, Bernard out-snapped him by a large margin. 

"After pick: Bernard 15 snaps, Wilson 5; enough said." 

Sunday's game was a pretty good reflection of Wilson's career thus far. He flashes talent in speed and great route running, but still makes terrible mistakes that, in the end, keep him on the sideline. The Steelers drafted Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the intention of playing, but they gave Wilson a fair shot; now it appears he's had his chance, and it could be time for Bernard to have a bigger role. 

Bernard has been slowly building chemistry with Rodgers over the past two games, catching four of eight targets against the New England Patriots and catching a 14-yard pass against the Bengals on a timing route over the middle. Rodgers doesn't typically trust rookie wide receivers, but so far through three games, he's targeted the rookie in some big moments. 

Wilson will likely find himself watching the games more than playing in them, taking the role Bernard previously had. He was once a promising prospect coming out of Michigan, but injuries and mistakes have plagued his career. He's still listed as the third wide receiver on the depth chart, but snap counts don't lie, and Thursday night will tell us who will be on the field. 

Steelers Have A Promising Prospect In Bernard

Bernard hasn't touched the ball much so far into his rookie campaign, but when he does, good things happen. In a drive against the Patriots, Bernard did it all, making catches all over the field. His route running is only getting better, with some believing he already has veteran traits. He's also a willing blocker, which is hard to come by when drafting wide receivers. This is an area where the Steelers really saw the Bernard effect, as the run game had by far its best day of the season. 

The rookie isn't the flashiest player, but he will be a reliable target for Rodgers and is always a threat to make things happen after the catch. With DK Metcalf's struggles, the Steelers may look to get the ball in his hands more as the season goes on and see what they have in the rookie long-term. Only time will tell how much Bernard gets used moving forward, but it looks like he may have surpassed Wilson. 

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