ESPN believes the Steelers' offseason will come back to bite them after calling them one of the least improved teams in the NFL
The months between January's playoff loss against the Baltimore Ravens and when the Pittsburgh Steelers kick things off in Sepetember will be a case study. An offseason that saw a lot more subtraction than addition, the quarterback situation, T.J. Watt debacle, and George Pickens trade have many questioning what this version of the Steelers will […]
The months between January's playoff loss against the Baltimore Ravens and when the Pittsburgh Steelers kick things off in Sepetember will be a case study.
An offseason that saw a lot more subtraction than addition, the quarterback situation, T.J. Watt debacle, and George Pickens trade have many questioning what this version of the Steelers will look like.
Ben Solak of ESPN is one who isn't very bullish…
Steelers named one of the least improved teams in NFL
The Steelers swapped George Pickens and Van Jefferson for DK Metcalf and Robert Woods, which doesn't feel that much better, if at all. They swapped Najee Harris for Kaleb Johnson, which again doesn't feel great. The departure of Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle looms large on offense, as well. Oh, and there's the little matter of the quarterback position.
Even if Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers, I'm not convinced the offense is better than last season — and for the (decently big!) chance Rodgers does not join the Steelers, this team is clearly worse than in 2024. Still, as always with a Mike Tomlin-coached team, that decrease in team strength may not lead to an actual decrease in win total.
– Ben Solak, ESPN
There's a lot of yes and no with Solak's analysis here. I tend to agree that the WR moves are largely mute. I would have liked to see Robert Woods added, with George Pickens as the WR #2.
Kaleb Johnson is unproven, while Najee Harris set franchise records, but the Steelers made their bed with Harris a long time ago, and finding a back like Johnson in the third round has the potential to be a steal.
Where I'm totally lost is Dan Moore Jr. He got paid major coin from the Tennessee Titans, which in fairness, did come off the best season of his career, but to think that paying Dan Moore Jr., (who becomes a turnstyle agaisnt Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson) that much money was smart, is asinine.
Not to mention Broderick Jones will finally be playing his natural position of LT in the NFL.
As for the quarterback position, the offense is infinitely better if and when Aaron Rodgers joins. I think people tend to forget 1. That this team benched Justin Fields, 2. Russell Wilson lost five games in a row and was not a friend of Arthur Smith and 3. Aaron Rodgers played well down the stretch of last year.
But as the current quarterback room is constructed, I would agree that it is a downgrade, but not by much considering the way things ended and how Mason played the last time he was in a Steelers uniform.
Least improved? Time will tell.
