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The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bizarre situation as a franchise. Pittsburgh is undoubtedly a well-run organization. After all, the Steelers are still riding their improbable streak of winning seasons under Mike Tomlin. Unfortunately, the Steelers have a big question mark at the quarterback position. It could be the one thing holding the Steelers back from becoming a contender.
ESPN’s Field Yates published an article on Monday with plenty of rookie predictions for players drafted after the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Yates made a bold prediction related to Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson.
“The Steelers saw Najee Harris depart in free agency this offseason, making running back a strong priority for them at some point early in the draft,” Yates wrote. “Johnson had an outstanding 2024 season at Iowa, using his size, physicality and pass-game acumen to become one of FBS’s best RBs. He ran for 1,537 yards and scored 23 touchdowns from scrimmage.”
Pittsburgh selected Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Steelers did not have a second-round pick, which shows how much they valued adding a running back.
Yates predicted that Johnson will lead the Steelers in carries during his rookie season.
“Jaylen Warren will of course play a useful role for Pittsburgh, but offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has a well-established affinity for bigger, bruising backs like Johnson. It won’t surprise me at all if he leads Pittsburgh in carries this season,” Yates declared.
Pittsburgh does have some reasons for optimism on offense. However, it all comes back to the quarterback position. The Steelers may be wasting the 2025 season if they cannot find an upgrade at quarterback.
Naturally, Aaron Rodgers seems like the most convenient way to solve that problem, at least as a one-year patch.
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk issued a warning to the Steelers, urging them to get Rodgers in the building before it is too late.
“Pittsburgh’s OTAs begin on May 27. That’s only 16 days away,” Florio wrote. “If he’s serious about being as ready as he can be for the looming football season, it makes sense to show up and get to know his teammates, coaches, etc.”
Florio is not the only one with those concerns.
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck also arrived at May 27th as a natural deadline for any potential Aaron Rodgers deal with the Steelers.
It will be interesting to see if the smoke around Rodgers and Pittsburgh heats up over the next few weeks.
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