Rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard has a golden opportunity during his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he impresses early, he could become an immediate contributor on an offense in need of playmakers.
For a young receiver, playing with Aaron Rodgers is no cakewalk, and Bernard will need to prove to Rodgers, along with the coaching staff, that he’s ready for the opportunity. Speaking from experience, former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. advises Bernard to be aware of his surroundings.
“When you’re Germie Bernard, you’re sitting in a room. And you are sitting in there with a pen and paper, and you’re observing and trying to figure out who’s the real alpha dog in here,” Smith said on his YouTube channel. “Which guy’s voice when he speaks means the most? Who do I need to pay attention to? And then you also decide, who do I not pay attention to? Who do I watch for? Don’t do what he’s doing.”
Bernard enters a wide receiver room where DK Metcalf is the unquestioned number one, while Michael Pittman Jr. was added in an offseason trade. At the moment, Roman Wilson is Bernard’s biggest challenger for the number three wide receiver spot.
Last season was challenging for Wilson, who struggled to see playing time and was even a healthy scratch in a handful of games. Gaining Rodgers’s trust seemed to be one of the biggest issues for Wilson and was cited as one of the main reasons for his lack of production.
“Because a lot of young guys, sometimes they come in and they have so much anxiety and they’re so worried about impressing,” Steve Smith continued. “And sometimes, you overtalk, overexplain, and then sometimes you just put your foot in your mouth because you just want to be part of the group so badly. And so that is one of the toughest things about being a rookie is sitting there quietly waiting for your opportunity.”
So far, Bernard and Rodgers sound like they are on the right path, but the biggest test will be building trust during training camp and the preseason. Playing with a Hall of Fame quarterback has plenty of perks, but the opportunity it provides Bernard also comes with pressure.
The Steelers aren’t treating this season as a development year, so Bernard will need to demonstrate he can contribute to the team’s success if he wants to be a meaningful contributor. For some teams, easing their rookies into the lineup and allowing them to make mistakes is a normal part of the development process. That won’t be the case with Rodgers under center.
From the outside looking in, Bernard has the right role models as teammates. Both Metcalf and Pittman were second-round wide receivers who were rookie contributors to their teams. With those two as teammates and Rodgers at quarterback, the environment is right for Bernard to seize the opportunity. It will be most incumbent on Bernard himself to show his new teammates that he belongs.
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