Unlike in years past, the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie class has been slowly given more playing time and opportunity on this team. Through three weeks, though, this team has still been more selective about which rookies get a chance on game day.
It seems like things may have changed on Sunday against the Bengals.
The Steelers finally gave their first-round rookie the keys to the car. Max Iheanachor got his first shot at starting, and he didn’t disappoint. Despite the reservations about players in this class needing some time to get seasoned, the top pick of the class has seemingly disproven that.
Now it should be Germie Bernard’s time to shine. The second-round pick has been mixed into the game plan at times, and with Roman Wilson still causing some issues, the Alabama product needs to be more heavily integrated into this offense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to continue to get their rookies involved with Germie Bernard
We saw the receiver room step up against the Bengals and shine. D.K. Metcalf is still struggling, but Michael Pittman has made an early impact as a possession receiver.
Roman Wilson is an interesting story. He hauled in a long touchdown reception against the Bengals, but he also had some passes go through his hands on multiple occasions. This almost cost the Steelers on Sunday.
Wilson does shine as a deep threat. His ability to quickly get off the line and hit full speed is his best asset. Unfortunately, the Steelers don’t have the offense to support his best traits.
Bernard, meanwhile, has done a lot with very little. He had one electric drive against the Patriots where he reeled in four receptions for 35 yards. No, that isn’t elite production, but it is enough for Bernard to shine.
We saw the best of what Bernard can be on that drive: someone who can get open and consistently move the chains. The offense could use a player like that.
Given Wilson’s consistent inconsistencies and struggles, it is time to give the rookie a chance. He should see more snaps while Wilson can go into more of a reserve role.
This wouldn't fix the offense by itself, but it does allow a more consistent threat with a higher ceiling and the chance to prove his worth. He can also establish a consistent rapport with Aaron Rodgers, something that is needed for the veteran quarterback to develop trust in his pass catchers.
We saw Iheanachor get his shot this week, and it paid off for Pittsburgh. With that in mind, the team needs to keep the youth movement going and get Bernard more involved. The offense is begging for a player with his skill set, and now is the time to execute.
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