Aaron Rodgers’ reputation with rookie wide receivers may not be deserved, but Germie Bernard still has a tall order coming into this season. Over the course of his career, Rodgers has rarely had to rely on a rookie. Yet he did so with success as recently as 2022, with Christian Watson doing well as a rookie.
If Bernard is to flourish with Rodgers, though, what will be required of him is the same as that required of any veteran. Rodgers is a stickler for certain things, but first and foremost, you’d better be where he expects. And you’d better make the catch when he looks your way. The Steelers’ rookie second-round pick is equipped for that, Mark Kaboly believes.
“Bernard seems like a guy that’s a little more mature than your average rookie wide receiver. What we’ve seen from him through a month of OTAs, it seems like that’s a guy that [Aaron Rodgers] would be able to latch onto and trust right away”, Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan. “He’s a pretty good route runner; he’s where he’s supposed to be at the right time. That’s all that really matters to Rodgers. That’s huge for him, so maybe he is one of those guys that he can trust right away”.
Entering his first training camp, Germie Bernard is jockeying for playing time as the Steelers’ No. 3 WR. They have DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. in the starting lineup, but the third spot is in flux. Basically, it will be either Bernard or Roman Wilson, who hasn’t had much of a career so far.
A 2024 third-round pick, Wilson spent most of his rookie season sidelined, playing five snaps. While injuries hampered his development, the fact remains that he didn’t develop. Last season, he started off slow, playing behind Calvin Austin III in a tight-end-heavy offense. He had a brief period of productivity, but he finished the season on the bench.
On paper, Germie Bernard should certainly be able to compete with that. The other options are Kaden Wetjen, a fourth-round rookie who has little offensive experience, and Ben Skowronek, who is a Pro Bowler on special teams. If you require context, you don’t play enough to earn Pro Bowl honors on special teams if you’re a star wide receiver, or even a significant contributor.
There is plenty of speculation that Rodgers played a significant role in Wilson’s lack of playing time. If that’s true, then the young receiver needs to have a big offseason. To that end, he has drawn positive reports. He’s reportedly been the third receiver with the first-team offense throughout the spring, almost to Bernard’s exclusion.
But training camp and the preseason will matter most. Germie Bernard has already said all the right things, but doing them will hold more weight. His reputation is that of a professional, so if that proves true, he should have a leg up. If not, it might add to the idea that Rodgers doesn’t trust rookies.