Cincy Jungle
The Pittsburgh Steelers got their guy, but you have to wonder if it makes that much of a difference.
It was always a strong possibility that Aaron Rodgers was going to join the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason after he split ways with the New York Jets.
Now, that has become the reality, as Rodgers will be joining the team for their minicamp.
The question becomes, what does that mean now?
Well, for Pittsburgh, expectations change quite a bit with Rodgers at the helm rather than Mason Rudolph or Will Howard. But Rodgers and the Steelers are coming off an off-year where both didn't really meet the expectations they had prior to last year. Are they better together?
This really erases all excuses for Mike Tomlin and Co. In the last few seasons, they've struggled to find a consistent quarterback to run the offense. They also went out and added wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks via a trade, then flipped wide receiver George Pickens for a draft pick from the Dallas Cowboys. Running back Najee Harris also left via free agency, making way for rookie running back Kaleb Johnson and Jaylen Warren.
The offense will look quite different than last season. Although it is a bit disappointing, we couldn't see an epic Pickens meltdown if this all went wrong and Metcalf was the more featured receiver.
Rodgers’ 5-12 record last season was the worst of his career, but he helped mold that team into what he wanted with it littered with former teammates and coaches. He was far from "bad." However, when you consider his career standards, it wasn't a good year for him.
He failed to hit 4,000 passing yards for the second straight season (not counting the 2023 season, where he played a single drive). His 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions was actually pretty close to his 2022 season when he had 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
He just hasn't looked like the guy he was in 2020 or 2021 when he combined for 85 touchdowns to nine interceptions and completed nearly 70% of his passes for over 8,400 yards.
It's fair to wonder if he is on the decline as he will be 42 years old this season and is two years removed from a serious injury.
The Steelers' offensive line also may not do him any favors. Last season with the Jets, he was sacked 40 times, and Russell Wilson and Justin Fields combined to be sacked 53 times, which would have been the fourth most in the NFL.
Cincinnati Bengals fans will probably have a mixed view of this move. It does make those matchups more tense than the alternative of Howard or Rudolph, but this doesn't appear to be the same as Rodgers. Does that mean Pittsburgh can't beat the Bengals? Absolutely not. Any given Sunday and all that.
However, it still feels safe to say that Rodgers is the third-best quarterback in the division. Tomlin has had average years with worse,...
