Aaron Rodgers officially owns a new team. The veteran quarterback agreed to a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday and is expected to join the team’s mandatory mini camp next week. Rodgers were released by the New York Jets in mid-March, but it took some time to weigh the options before eventually landing in Pittsburgh.

Rodgers will turn 42 in the 2025 season and the Steelers are expected to start. He threw 3,897 yards, 29 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions last season, his first year since he tore Achilles apart in Week 1 of 2023. But, questions about how much he has left in the tank. Even if there is no other obvious solution, is this really a good move for Pittsburgh? Does it help stabilize crime? Let's improve the transaction.

Analysis author Seth Walder is evaluating and rating transactions based on a variety of factors, including on-site impact, impact of salary cap, compensation, player value/age, and context for the Steelers’ short- and long-term prospects. How much impact did the decision have and we are sure this is a good or bad choice? How does this affect Pittsburgh’s chances of winning the Super Bowl this season or in the future? We also ask NFL analyst Ben Solak to understand the plans in the Steelers’ offense – is Pittsburgh’s offense better now than in 2024?

Here’s what we think of the long-awaited Rogers deal.

Jump to:
Rating the Rogers deal
Adjust the right size for the team

Rating transactions

I can't believe we're back here and watching another NFL franchise longing to answer a 41-year-old who hasn't played well since 2021. But...I also think this is the Steelers' rational choice. Median results are not the point. This move is simply because of the advantages Rogers still has and the smaller options on the table.

In 2021, Rodgers recorded a 74.1 QBR, leading the league and winning the MVP. In terms of context, the last time signing with the Giants but theoretically a return to the Steelers option, Russell Wilson hit QBR Mark in his rookie season (his rookie season). Kirk Cousins ​​may also be a trade candidate. Like Rodgers' game last season, his chances of winning ten titles before the season are higher than Wilson, cousins ​​or other potential veterans.

Rodgers' 2024 season was very bad, despite Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams (11 games in total), who ranked 25th in QBR (48.0). The next stat for each NFL, he's minus 5% of the expected completion rate, which is better than the statistics only of Anthony Richardson and Cooper Rush. (Of course, New York's pass protection is below average.)

The optimistic case for the Steelers is that Rodgers is still torn by Achilles, who has eliminated him except for four games in the 2023 season. To be fair, Rodgers does look more fluid as the 2024 season develops. In the 30 fastest and fastest games last season, the next Gen Stats in the NFL are in Week 13 or later. But a part of Rogers's career is that he missed last season not only in almost all of 2023 return In 2022, he was in his last season at the Packers. Rogers ranked 26th in QBR that year (one man ahead of Wilson). Therefore, Rodgers’ recent struggle should not be attributed entirely to this harm. The decline began with his joining the Jets.

The Steelers may be a smart choice not to give Rodgers as much of a say in the offense as the Jets. After all, the best season in Rodgers' recent history was the system that played under Matt Lafleur in 2020, which was much higher than last season's Jets' speed and athletic rate. Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith played 27% (10th) last season, but had only 16% (28th) in the heist.

The jet's offense also depends heavily on the receiver's straight trip. In fact, 27% of jet routes are deep fading, brief fading, hooking and driving routes. This may not be the ideal choice in general, for a team with the best receiver is Garrett Wilson, who specializes in lateral movement. However, the route profile is the strength of DK Metcalf.

What separates the Steelers from the Giants is the Giants (another reported on Rogers’ contender) is that Pittsburgh’s infrastructure may take advantage of Rogers’ upside. I mean, this is one with:

• Potentially great defense. Pittsburgh's EPA ranked tenth in the EPA last season, but its ceiling was much higher. With TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cameron Heyward and Nick Herbig (don't sleep on Nick Herbig!), the Steelers' passing speed is outrageous. and minor (with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay Jr.) able Also be strong.

• Good enough to pass protection. The Steelers ranked 13th in pass championship rate last season, despite losing to free agent giant Dan Moore Jr.

• A good receiver in Metcalf. Although George Pickens traded to the Dallas Cowboys, Rodgers and Steelers did have a second receiver after the former Seahawks. The depth map behind Metcalf is not particularly inspiring.

• A savvy coach with organizational strength and a record of being able to handle difficult people. This is what the jet lacks, which gives Rogers the de facto organization. Obviously, this is not what the team wants, and if anyone can handle Rogers, it's Mike Tomlin.

Assuming Rodgers is playing for what he said $10 million, it's a good move for Pittsburgh. Of course, there are low-cost QB alternatives in the draft. Shedeur Sanders fell to day 3, but Pittsburgh snatched him on No. 83 and then passed again above No. 123. Even so, as Rodgers has played over the past few years, it's a relative bargain. The Steelers may look for quarterbacks next offseason, but at least they haven't surpassed during the transition period. (They did pick Will Howard in the sixth round, but he is likely to be a backup for the pros.)

Looking ahead, if Rodgers hit his 85th percentile result, the Steelers could make it to the playoffs. If Wilson landed in Pittsburgh and reached his 85th percentile, I don't think we can say the same thing. And if Rodgers hit his 85th percentile with the Giants, they are still a lack of football team. That's why Rogers-Steel Marriage becomes uncomfortable.

Don't get me wrong: If I were the Steelers, I wouldn't be good at going this path. But I also looked at Watt, who was 30, and thought there would be no better option if they were to sway while he was still there. - Wald

Level: b (Pending contract information)

Is Rogers suitable for Steelers' offense?

Find out if Rogers is suitable any A solution or system starts not with his on-site talent, but with whether he bought it or not. Will Rodgers be willing to attack Arthur Smith as defined by his time in the Jets because he is unwilling to play or throw new players in the new system? Smith's offenses in Tennessee, Atlanta and Pittsburgh all rely heavily on game passes from below the center, but Rodgers doesn't like turning to defense. Is he finally ready to admit that his fluidity is decreasing and bends his play style to fit it? Or will he continue to master the route he wants to play?

Rogers is also unsure with Metcalf. The former racing is one of the less precise route runners in the NFL, and Rodgers asks his receivers to get perfection when running his hand-selected various height-specific routes. It's hard to imagine a 17-game season with no scene or post-match explosion between Rodgers and his top catcher.

Even if the fit is not perfect and personality conflicts, Rodgers' quarterback in the 2024 season is better than Russell Wilson or Justin Field. The Steelers' offense under Rodgers will not always outperform last season's version, but it may have more peak-capacity games, which could be a big problem in the playoffs. - olak