With Aaron Rodgers, the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting a quarterback with a wealth of expertise. His legacy speaks for itself, and he’s a participant not many defenders wish to play in opposition to. Former NFL cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie appeared on NFL Community’s The Insiders on Friday, and he spoke concerning the issues that make Rodgers pretty much as good as he’s.
“Guys all the time ask me who’s the toughest quarterback, and I all the time say Aaron Rodgers as a result of he throws his receivers open,” Rodgers-Cromartie stated. “When the receiver have a step on you, with the velocity I’ve, you gotta name it make-up velocity. He’s not providing you with an opportunity to make up. So I all the time inform individuals, there’s sure quarterbacks I simply can’t play with, and he’s considered one of them.”
That is one factor the Steelers can depend on going into the 2025 season. his sport wholly, Rodgers positively isn’t the identical MVP-caliber quarterback of outdated. Nevertheless, the half that’s deteriorated essentially the most relating to his sport is his agility, particularly after his Achilles damage firstly of the 2023 season (though he does appear to be in fine condition this 12 months).
The excellent news is his arm nonetheless works simply as nicely and he processes the sport an elite stage. Each of these issues are wanted to do what Rodgers-Cromartie is describing right here. He mentions make-up velocity. When some corners are a step behind their receiver, they depend on their velocity to catch up. That may work when quarterbacks aren’t as correct. Different corners deliberately keep adrift from their task, baiting quarterbacks whereas realizing they’ll get again to the ball fast sufficient.
With Aaron Rodgers, neither of these issues will work. He’s nonetheless capable of punish corners who misplaced a step on their man, and as Rodgers-Cromartie mentions, corners gained’t even attempt to bait Rodgers.
Rodgers’ arm ought to open up a variety of issues we haven’t seen from the Steelers’ offense in recent times. For instance, throwing over the center of the sphere. The Steelers all the time wish to win the turnover battle, so it’s an space they usually keep away from. When Justin Fields performed firstly of final season, they didn’t goal that space in any respect. Even with Russell Wilson again there, his peak made it tougher to learn that side of the sphere.
With Aaron Rodgers and his accuracy, that could possibly be one thing the Steelers have a look at extra usually. He seemingly gained’t be main the Steelers to the Tremendous Bowl anytime quickly, however it’s exhausting to not suppose the Steelers’ offense will open up extra usually with Rodgers working the present.
