Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is already tinkering with the Pittsburgh Steelers offense after signing a one-year, $13.65M deal with them on Saturday.
On a Sunday episode of “SportsCenter,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Rodgers have been “on the cellphone” about altering the group’s offense. This consists of discovering a “candy spot” the place Rodgers can audible on the line of scrimmage however nonetheless keep true to the group’s system.
Whereas four-time MVP Rodgers is coming off a disappointing 5-12 season with the New York Jets, the Steelers really feel a participant of his stature deserves to have a say within the group’s offense.
“Groups I’ve talked to imagine that Rodgers at this stage is a middle-of-the-pack quarterback,” Fowler mentioned (h/t Bleacher Report’s Timothy Rapp). “He is in all probability ranked 15-17 among the many prime 32. He is not that top-10 man anymore, however the Steelers do imagine he has the very best area imaginative and prescient from the pocket since they’ve had Ben Roethlisberger. They imagine he is nonetheless obtained loads of arm energy and the New York Jets coaches I’ve talked to suppose he was loads higher than the stats confirmed final yr. It is simply merely a mobility situation. It is also how he’s going to coalesce with Smith?”
Since tearing his left Achilles tendon throughout Week 1 of the 2023 season, Rodgers has seemingly misplaced the flexibility to increase performs together with his legs. In 17 video games throughout the 2024 season, he took 40 sacks.
Smith, in the meantime, has coached cell QBs all through his profession. When he was Atlanta Falcons HC from 2021-23, he began QBs Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder. Final season, the Steelers performed QBs Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
Maybe Rodgers is contacting Smith to assist tailor his playbook for a standard pocket passer.
Even when Smith and Rodgers click on, reigniting the Steelers’ dreadful offense might nonetheless be difficult. Final season, Pittsburgh ranked twenty seventh in passing yards (192 YPG) per recreation and sixteenth in factors scored (22.4) per contest.
This offseason, they acquired large receiver DK Metcalf in a commerce with the Seattle Seahawks however subsequently dealt wideout George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.
Except 41-year-old Rodgers recaptures his elite type, it might be a shock if the offensive adjustments work.
