Some rookie improvements are plain for the world to see, taking place with increased exposure and extended playing time on a game day.
Others happen behind closed doors, literally or figuratively, in the meeting rooms or on the practice fields.
For Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, he hasn't had to rely heavily yet on newcomers in his final NFL season. But if or when the time comes, he's encouraged by a lot of what he's observed so far in the 2026 draft class.
Sunday, there was Steelers second-rounder Germie Bernard stepping into and stepping up for the receiving corps at Gillette Stadium. He caught four passes on one drive, at a pivotal time in the game when the Steelers needed to get something going offensively.
"I thought he did some good things," Rodgers said. "It was his first major action in a real game, and I thought he made some nice plays. I thought he ran some good routes. Obviously, there's stuff to clean up, but I was really pleased with Germie."
Surely, Rodgers is experienced enough and wise enough to know how much is the right amount of praise to heap on a player — especially a rookie. But Bernard's baby steps were on display to the viewing audience, while a full-on breakout could be on the way.
It's not as evident from the outside looking in how first-round pick Max Iheanachor is progressing. The right tackle out of Arizona State, though, has caught the starting quarterback's eye with his technique and the natural athleticism that gives him such a high ceiling.
"I like Max a lot. I think he's got a real bright future," Rodgers said. "In one sense, he's raw, because he hasn't played football that long. In the other sense, he's got a beautiful [pass-protection] set. You don't say that about every tackle. There's nice sets, and then there's beautiful sets. I had two of the prettiest sets of all time at left tackle, for me, in Chad Clifton and David Bakhtiari. There's just something about the way those guys set that created very little lanes for a pass rusher. And I think when he hones his skills, Max is going to have a chance to be a longtime staple on the offensive line here."
Rodgers and the current starting offensive line will match up Sunday with a Bengals defense that's tied for the NFL lead with 8 sacks. Only the Raiders have as many over the first two weeks.
The linchpin is a new piece himself, but an old pro. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, 28, was the 17th overall pick in 2019 and has two second-team All-Pro honors to his name. He also had 9 sacks two years ago with the Giants, third most among interior defensive linemen in 2024 behind Seattle's Leonard Williams and Miami's Zach Sieler.
"He's an All-Pro player. He's a load inside, but he's not a slug in there. He can really move," Rodgers said. "He's a good pass rusher. He's got good moves, good lateral quickness. He moves about as well as anyone in the league his size. He's going to be a focal point for every team that plays them."
Of course, the Steelers offense must bounce back from a 20-3 defeat against the Patriots. Rodgers will lead the way in that effort among the players.
It's early. The Steelers are 1-1 and have the rest of the season ahead of them, starting with their first divisional matchup back at home.
"Yeah, it's two games in," Rodgers said. "I'm not worried about the resolve of this group."
