Pittsburgh Steelers GM Omar Khan hasn’t been on the job for so long as some basic managers within the league. However he’s actually put effort into making an attempt to handle roster shortcomings. He’s invested within the offensive line closely. He’s additionally tried to maintain strengths going, like with the defensive position. However the quarterback place continues to plague him and the group. Will Aaron Rodgers signal, and in that case, when?
Till Rodgers places ink to paper in Pittsburgh, issues aren’t trying good for the Steelers. Professional Soccer Focus evaluated all 32 NFL rosters, and the Steelers ranked Twenty first within the league. The most important downside? The offense, after all. In 2024, the Steelers ranked twenty fifth in yards per play.
The Steelers’ offense was nothing to put in writing dwelling about in 2024… Pittsburgh did make some adjustments by buying and selling away broad receiver George Pickens, bringing in D.Okay. Metcalf and waving goodbye to quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. It probably received’t result in extra success in 2025, although, except the X-factor beneath indicators a contract.
Unsurprisingly, that X issue is QB Aaron Rodgers. Regardless of legendary QB Terry Bradshaw’s less-than-glowing ideas on Rodgers, the Steelers nonetheless appear to be locked in on Rodgers as their starter for 2025. And PFF thinks that the Steelers’ leads to 2025 are utterly depending on Rodgers.
The Steelers are the one staff on this record whose X-factor isn’t even on the energetic roster… The 41-year-old was nonetheless strong final 12 months with the Jets, posting a 76.3 PFF passing grade that was a top-15 mark within the league. If he does certainly signal with Pittsburgh, the staff may make the playoffs. If he doesn’t and the Steelers are compelled to start out Mason Rudolph, they may very well be selecting close to the highest of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Effectively, if PFF is true, Rodgers is the textbook definition of an X issue. If he indicators and performs nicely, the Steelers can be among the many groups preventing for a playoff spot. If he doesn’t signal, then the Steelers can have a excessive draft choose in 2026.
Which, all issues thought-about, may very well be an excellent factor for the Steelers’ long-term prospects. In any case, they don’t appear to have an answer in thoughts on the quarterback spot. Perhaps it may very well be sixth-round choose Will Howard? That appears unlikely, however Mason Rudolph thinks that Howard has “a variety of instruments” after working alongside him this spring. Maybe he may very well be a nice shock.
However the fact is, if the Steelers genuinely have a bottom-half roster within the league, they want extra expertise. Khan did an excellent job including gamers like C Zach Frazier, G Mason McCormick, and LB Payton Wilson within the 2024 NFL Draft. And PFF likes the addition of rookieDerrick Harmon to an already-talented defensive position room.
PFF additionally thinks RB Kaleb Johnson is the rookie to regulate in 2025, particularly if Rodgers doesn’t signal.
With Najee Harris signing with the Chargers, Kaleb Johnson tasks because the Steelers’ beginning working again from Day 1. The third-round choose loved an enormous breakout at Iowa in 2024, inserting fifth within the nation with 1,060 yards after contact. And whereas Pittsburgh struggled to guard the quarterback final 12 months, the staff managed to rank ninth in PFF run-blocking grade. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t signal with the Steelers, Johnson ought to obtain a ton of touches in his rookie 12 months.
Heck, with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith calling the pictures and head coach Mike Tomlin’s offensive philosophy marrying ball management and minimizing dangers, Johnson may very well be in line for lots of carries even with Rodgers within the constructing.
However the general image isn’t thrilling for the Steelers. There are questions alongside the offensive line, primarily on the sort out place. Will Broderick Jones be higher again at his pure left sort out place? And can Troy Fautanu keep wholesome this 12 months?
And regardless of the addition of Metcalf at broad receiver, the remainder of the room isn’t giving lots of people confidence. Calvin Austin III had his finest season as a professional in 2024, but it surely’s unlikely that he can be a full-fledged WR2 on this league. And we do not know what Roman Wilson will appear like after barely touching the sphere as a rookie on account of accidents. Analyst Sam Monson thinks Wilson is a breakout candidate, however can the Steelers rely upon him but?
Then there’s the age of key gamers on the defensive facet of the ball. Cam Heyward has been a stalwart on the road, and he had a implausible 2024 after an injury-plagued 2023. However how for much longer can he maintain enjoying? Undoubtedly, that’s a part of why the Steelers drafted Harmon. However it’s arduous to interchange a legend like Heyward.
Similar goes for OLB T.J. Watt. He’s getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract and is on the fallacious facet of 30. The Steelers have Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and rookie Jack Sawyer. However Watt is the franchise chief in sacks. That could be a state of affairs that bears monitoring this offseason and for the long run.
You’ll be able to argue whether or not or not the Steelers are the Twenty first-ranked roster within the league. However you can not argue that there aren’t loads of questions throughout the roster, beginning with the quarterback place. That’s why you may make the case that Aaron Rodgers is the Steelers’ X issue for 2025. A lot hinges on whether or not he indicators or not and the way nicely he performs if he does. As a result of a high-quality quarterback can paper over a variety of points elsewhere on the roster. If Rodgers indicators with the Steelers and performs at a excessive stage in 2025, they received’t end Twenty first within the league.
The query we needs to be asking is whether or not short-term success in 2025 robs the Steelers of an opportunity to significantly enhance for the long run. As a result of if the Steelers are selecting someplace round 20 subsequent 12 months, they’ll have to speculate a variety of picks to maneuver up for a possible franchise quarterback. A nasty season may make it lots cheaper for the Steelers, preserving picks for investing in different areas of the roster.
As for the remainder of the AFC North, the Steelers aren’t the lowest-ranked roster. The Cleveland Browns are, and so they can’t go any decrease. PFF has them ranked thirty second. The Baltimore Ravens are at nearly the precise reverse spot of the Browns, coming in at 2, simply behind the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cincinnati Bengals are solely three spots larger than the Steelers, coming in at 18 regardless of offensive stars led by QB Joe Burrow.
