PITTSBURGH — As Aaron Rodgers asserted he “wasn’t holding anybody hostage,” the Pittsburgh Steelers’ chorus of the spring was that they have been going to conduct their offseason enterprise unbiased of Rodgers’ resolution.
But, neither’s actions matched as much as their phrases.
As Rodgers handled what he referred to as “tough stuff” for members of his inside circle, attended a Kentucky Derby Occasion and frolicked with good friend and rapper Mike Stud at a few his live shows, the Steelers bypassed almost each quarterback choice earlier than drafting Will Howard within the sixth spherical. Additionally they opted to signal Mason Rudolph as their lone true veteran quarterback to affix an inexperienced Skylar Thompson on the place.
Although one in all coach Mike Tomlin’s many creeds is wanting his gamers to be “volunteers, not hostages,” the Steelers all however volunteered to be Rodgers’ hostage by placing all of their eggs in his basket. With the draft over, a desolate free agent quarterback market and few commerce choices, Rodgers is the Steelers’ final greatest hope. And but, on paper and on the sector, Rodgers does not look like a match for the Steelers offense or its long-standing organizational philosophies, leaving the group hurtling towards an id disaster.
Tomlin doubled down on the significance of being a run-first group when he employed offensive Arthur Smith a 12 months in the past, however on Friday the Steelers are anticipated to conform to a take care of Rodgers, who tried the second-most passes within the NFL final season.
Tomlin additionally repeatedly emphasised mobility as a coveted quarterback trait, but his new sign caller took 40 sacks and rushed 34 instances for 94 yards final season.
And on the eve of free company, basic supervisor Omar Khan orchestrated a blockbuster commerce to amass premier deep menace DK Metcalf and signed him to an unprecedented extension, but agreed to phrases with a quarterback who averaged 6.6 air yards per try final season, rating thirty second out of 36 certified quarterbacks.
“The way in which we ended [the season] was unacceptable,” Khan mentioned on the NFL mix. “We all know now we have to be higher, and other people anticipate higher. We anticipate higher, and that may’t occur once more. And I am simply as upset as everybody else, and I can inform you we’re working laborious to repair that and ensure it does not occur once more.”
The Steelers entered the offseason promising change after a five-game shedding streak to finish an everyday season that started with a 10-3 document by means of 14 weeks. And whereas Rodgers, poised to be the group’s fifth completely different Week 1 beginning quarterback in as a few years, is a change, it isn’t essentially one in live performance with their supposed offensive id.
Rodgers’ acquisition marks the second time in as a few years the Steelers have taken a swing on an getting old reclamation venture. Like 36-year-old Russell Wilson earlier than him, Rodgers, 41, was launched earlier than the tip of his contract by the New York Jets, who as soon as gave up a king’s ransom in hopes he would reinvigorate their franchise.
That is the hand the Steelers dealt themselves by not re-signing Justin Fields, their one-time quarterback who left for the Jets and a modest contract — Fields’ $20 million AAV is the bottom amongst all projected beginning quarterbacks not taking part in on a rookie deal — and a recent begin.
The Steelers earned Rodgers’ long-awaited last rose after the Giants signed Wilson and Minnesota dedicated to 2024 first-round decide J.J. McCarthy as its beginning quarterback. The group then landed Rodgers after a tedious inside tug-of-war between Rodgers’ want to maintain taking part in or to retire. At this level in his profession, although, Rodgers comes with extra thorns than petals.
As a four-time NFL MVP, 10-time Professional Bowler and Tremendous Bowl champ — in a win over Tomlin’s Steelers — Rodgers is an simple future Corridor of Famer. However after twenty years within the NFL and an Achilles rupture that value him the 2023 season and a triumphant second act in New York, Rodgers enters Pittsburgh as a shadow of the quarterback who gained back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021.
Since incomes the NFL’s highest particular person honor, Rodgers’ efficiency has been in sharp decline. In 2022 and 2024, his final two years as a starter, he ranked twenty sixth and twenty fifth in whole QBR and twenty first and twenty sixth in yards per try.
Past being the ringmaster of New York’s off-field circus for the higher a part of two seasons, Rodgers’ on-field efficiency in his lone full season because the starter declined from the gold customary set throughout his Inexperienced Bay profession. Whereas Rodgers completed the season finishing 63% of his makes an attempt for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, he posted a 48.0 QBR. His earlier career-low QBR as a complete-season starter was 41.3, posted in 2022. That 12 months, his last season in Inexperienced Bay, he accomplished 64.6% of makes an attempt for 3,695 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions because the Packers went 8-9.
Maybe the bottom level in a reel of Rodgers’ Jets-era lowlights got here in a 40-14 Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Payments when he recorded a career-worst 1.2 QBR, threw two interceptions and was sacked 4 instances to surpass Tom Brady as probably the most sacked quarterback in NFL historical past. By the point Rodgers benched himself with the Jets trailing 40-0 initially of the fourth quarter, the offense had gone 14 straight possessions with no landing. The unit lastly scored a landing — Rodgers’ five hundredth profession landing strike — within the second quarter of an eventual regular-season finale win in opposition to the Dolphins in Rodgers’ last sport as Jet.
The Steelers had comparable offensive dry spells throughout 2024. Not solely did they fail to attain an opening-drive landing all season, however starting initially of the Week 11 win in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens (thanks Chris Boswell’s subject targets) till Wilson discovered receiver Calvin Austin for a 23-yard landing late within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Cleveland Browns per week later, the Steelers went 20 offensive possessions with no landing — seven quarters.
“It actually wants to attain extra factors,” Tomlin mentioned of the offense in his season-ending information convention. “In no matter approach that occurs is no matter approach that occurs. It does not essentially imply building, however we actually acquired to attain extra factors. You are not going to attain 14 factors per week in January and be very profitable.”
In a side-by-side comparability, Wilson’s strengths would appear to suit higher with the Steelers’ offensive personnel. Wilson averaged 7.6 yards per try in 2024, whereas Rodgers checked in at 6.7. Wilson additionally outperformed Rodgers after they weren’t pressured, per ESPN Analysis. Wilson accomplished 75% of makes an attempt with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions for a complete QBR of 71. Rodgers accomplished 68% of makes an attempt when he wasn’t pressured and threw 21 touchdowns to 10 interceptions for a complete QBR of 55. Rodgers’ 10 interceptions have been his most not dealing with strain since he threw 13 throughout his first 12 months as a starter in 2008.
And whereas Rodgers wasn’t shy about letting it fly earlier in his profession, he is been noticeably extra conservative after the Achilles tear. Rodgers averaged 2.69 seconds to throw, fifth amongst certified quarterbacks, final season, and his 6.6-yard common throw distance was the fifth-shortest within the league. Final season marked the one full season as a starter he averaged a throw distance under 7.4 yards.
Rodgers additionally hasn’t been on the helm of prolific operating offenses. The Jets ranked twenty eighth in run performs final 12 months, and from 2008-22, the Packers ran on 37% of performs — the fourth-lowest fee within the league over that span, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Rodgers’ new offensive coordinator Smith, nonetheless, has overseen prime 5 dashing offenses in 5 of his final six seasons as a playcaller.
However these are moot factors, as a result of whereas the Steelers waited for Rodgers’ resolution, Wilson took issues into his personal palms and scheduled visits with the Browns and Giants. A day after information unfold of Wilson’s visits, the Steelers inked Mason Rudolph, their 2018 third-round decide who spent the 2024 season in Tennessee, to a two-year, $8 million deal.
Some, just like the Steelers, imagine Rodgers has extra upside than Wilson — or some other choice out there in weak quarterback free company and draft lessons. The Jets had a greater crimson zone scoring share than the Steelers in 2024 — 54.55% to Pittsburgh’s 48.21%, the fourth lowest within the NFL.
“He performed good, particularly in direction of the tip of the season,” mentioned Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols, who performed with Rodgers in New York final season. “I want the end result was just a little higher, however in direction of the tip of the season he began to actually get up.”
The Steelers’ method to free company put the ball in Rodgers’ palms. Their greatest probability to keep away from a possible offensive id disaster is to hope he provides it again by taking part in throughout the assemble of their offense.
