The Pittsburgh Steelers reshaped their passing offense in the offseason, rearranging deck chairs on a boat destined to go a game over .500. Trading for Seattle Seahawks dynamo DK Metcalf gave the offense two above-average receivers.
By the end of May, that was no longer the case. George Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 Day 3 pick swap. To an extent, that set them back to Square One, entering 2025 with a hole at Z receiver.
However, Pittsburgh upgraded at receiver, effectively replacing Pickens with Metcalf. It also upgraded under center after signing Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal.
Those moves may have been related. Insider Jeremy Fowler revealed how Rodgers impacted the Steelers’ Pickens trade, despite not yet being in the building.
“The Steelers moved on from Pickens for a few reasons. His maturity issues were well-known within Pittsburgh's locker room and front office,” Fowler wrote. “So, the Steelers made the evaluation that Pickens and Rodgers probably would not hit it off.”
Pickens’ immaturity was well documented in Pittsburgh. Between his tardiness, lazy routes, and frequent penalties, he wore out his welcome. With the detail-oriented Rodgers potentially in the fold, trading Pickens became an act of foresight.
Having one less quality receiver is going to hinder the offense. But with Smith tailoring his offense to Rodgers, his strengths should be optimized.
“While the skepticism is understandable, I've talked to several coaches who watched Rodgers closely last year, including members of the New York Jets staff. They believe Pittsburgh just got a steal.
“‘He's still throwing the [expletive] out of the ball, honestly,’ a veteran NFL offensive coach said. ‘He's the best quarterback they've had since [Ben Roethlisberger]. We will see how the body holds up, but I think he's going to help them immensely.’”
The Steelers are more formidable than they were a season ago. It’s easy to see Rodgers and Metcalf developing a rapport, the offense line should be healthier, and the veteran is less volatile than his predecessor. This is the best quarterback of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era, and he offers Pittsburgh a slightly better chance at success come January.
"Look, the mobility is an issue, there's no doubt," an AFC executive told Fowler. "But where he helps them is with the plus arm strength and the field vision from the pocket. They haven't had that. I'm not sure that will be enough, but the offense will be at least respectable."
