The Steelers adding Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft does a number of things for the offense. First and foremost, it gives the team a formidable trio alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. atop the depth chart.
However, Bernard's versatility is one of the reasons why Omar Khan moved up five spots in the second round to snag him. And, Bernard knows that. That's why bouncing around everywhere was a point of emphasis for him during rookie minicamp over the weekend.
"When you first come into the offense, you want to learn everything," Bernard said Saturday. "You want to be able to be versatile so you can have the most opportunities whenever that time comes. That's something I'm working on, being able to know the ins and outs of the offense at all the receiver positions so that I can put myself in the best position to succeed."
Bernard is known for being able to play both inside and outside, something he did at Alabama. He's also known for being able to line up in the backfield every now and then, and can also be a reliable blocker in the run game. When an offensive-minded coach such as Mike McCarthy has a weapon like that, it's irresponsible to not put him all over the place.
Of course, it's still very early in the process. McCarthy is still getting to know Bernard. He has yet to have any practices in which he's playing alongside Metcalf and Pittman, so the vision isn't quite realized yet. But, McCarthy used rookie minicamp to stress Bernard by throwing as much at him as possible and seeing how he'd respond, as he did with all the rookies.
"Football comes easy to him," McCarty said Saturday. "His understanding is very high. Doesn't blink. I love his demeanor. You can see why his versatility in college definitely carries over. I think he's been an excellent fit for us."
THE ASYLUM
Bernard stresses versatility in learning offense
The Steelers adding Germie Bernard in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft does a number of things for the offense. First and foremost, it gives the team a formidable trio alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. atop the depth chart.
However, Bernard's versatility is one of the reasons why Omar Khan moved up five spots in the second round to snag him. And, Bernard knows that. That's why bouncing around everywhere was a point of emphasis for him during rookie minicamp over the weekend.
"When you first come into the offense, you want to learn everything," Bernard said Saturday. "You want to be able to be versatile so you can have the most opportunities whenever that time comes. That's something I'm working on, being able to know the ins and outs of the offense at all the receiver positions so that I can put myself in the best position to succeed."
Bernard is known for being able to play both inside and outside, something he did at Alabama. He's also known for being able to line up in the backfield every now and then, and can also be a reliable blocker in the run game. When an offensive-minded coach such as Mike McCarthy has a weapon like that, it's irresponsible to not put him all over the place.
Of course, it's still very early in the process. McCarthy is still getting to know Bernard. He has yet to have any practices in which he's playing alongside Metcalf and Pittman, so the vision isn't quite realized yet. But, McCarthy used rookie minicamp to stress Bernard by throwing as much at him as possible and seeing how he'd respond, as he did with all the rookies.
"Football comes easy to him," McCarty said Saturday. "His understanding is very high. Doesn't blink. I love his demeanor. You can see why his versatility in college definitely carries over. I think he's been an excellent fit for us."
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