Throughout a busy offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers placed a significant emphasis on upgrading the offensive side of the football, adding a number of new players to help fit new head coach Mike McCarthy’s vision.
Veterans like wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., Rico Dowdle, and Brock Hoffman were acquired to shore up areas of need, along with the return of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who reunites with McCarthy.
While those veterans will have key roles in 2026, longtime NFL analyst Greg Cosell believes a pair of rookies will make big contributions to McCarthy’s offense this season.
Appearing on the latest episode of the Ross Tucker Podcast, Cosell spoke highly of two young offensive pieces in wide receiver Germie Bernard and running back/wide receiver Eli Heidenreich.
“I really like Bernard a lot. I think he’s just one of those guys that’s gonna be a good pro. And when I say that, do I mean, he’s gonna catch 80 balls for 1,200 yards? No, but I think he’s a really good player,” Cosell said, according to video ia the show’s YouTube page. “He’s physical, he’s competitive. I wouldn’t say he has a lot of juice, but he’s got a little more than you think. So I really, really like him.”
There’s a lot to like with Bernard. He was considered one of most complete receivers in the 2026 draft, and while he doesn’t have any flashy traits that makes him stand out among the rest of the receivers, he’s just a rock-solid player.
Bernard is a great route runner, has good hands, plays a physical brand of football and will block his tail off. That all aligns with what the Steelers tend to look for in a receiver, and now they’ll have that in abundance behind DK Metcalf and Pittman.
He still has to beat out Roman Wilson for the WR3 role, but the Steelers’ receiver room looks much better right now than it has in recent years, and Bernard is a big part of that. He should have a sizable role as a rookie, even with a quarterback in Rodgers who notoriously has little patience with young pass catchers.
Then, there’s Heidenreich, who has multi-positional versatility and is a popular name ahead of training camp due to his story, and his ability to make plays while wearing multiple hats.
The question is if he’ll even make the 53-man roster, but Cosell believes he will.
“I think he’s gonna play, ’cause he can do a lot of things for you,” Cosell said of Heidenreich. “He’s big, he’s physical, he’s a movable chess piece. Again, he may play 18 snaps a game, but I think there’s going to be a place for him in the context of his offense.”
Shortly after the Steelers drafted Heidenreich, McCarthy opened some eyes by stating they would open up the playbook for the versatile weapon. What that means remains to be seen, but he’s going to get a real chance to grab a roster spot.
He is Navy’s all-time leading receiver, and he ran for more than 1,000 yards in his career, too. Heidenreich can handle a role on special teams, too, making him a very intriguing bottom-of-the-roster option in Pittsburgh, one who could see a role offensively under McCarthy.
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