The Aaron Rodgers era in Pittsburgh comes with plenty of buzz, but one NFL analyst is pumping the brakes a bit on how complete the Steelers really are.
Rodgers is back for one more season, and the setup has all the makings of a neat football story: his last ride in the league, and a reunion with head coach Mike McCarthy, the same coach he won a Super Bowl with. That’s the kind of pairing that naturally gets people talking about big throws and highlight-reel moments.
Still, the question hanging over Pittsburgh is whether the roster is ready to chase a championship right now. In a Thursday piece for CBS Sports, Josh Edwards pointed straight at one spot the Steelers may still need to strengthen: tight end.
"A year removed from wondering what Pittsburgh is going to do with Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth, the team now finds itself in a position to add at the position," he states in the piece.
Edwards also noted, "The latter two tight ends remain on the roster, but depth features Robert Tonyan, Jaheim Bell, Lake Mcree and Lance Mason. The team could bring in help at that position."
That’s the concern in a nutshell. Pittsburgh has pieces there, but the room could use more weight.
Rodgers is expected to lean heavily on his receivers and running backs, yet the tight ends still matter if the offense is going to feel complete. For a quarterback trying to squeeze every last bit out of a final season, comfort at that spot is not a luxury.
In Other News...
Steelers Secondary Suddenly Has A Problem Before Week 1
The Steelers secondary took a hit just days before Week 1, with DeShon Elliott landing on injured reserve and set to miss at least the first four games. Elliott had battled back from a significant leg injury last season and was back on the practice field during training camp, but his latest setback leaves Pittsburgh without one of the key pieces it hoped would stabilize the back end early in the year.
Now the burden shifts to a reshuffled group that has to hold up immediately, with Jaquan Brisker, Jalen Ramsey, Robert Spears-Jennings and Rayshawn Jenkins among the names expected to absorb the snaps. For a defense built around keeping pressure on opposing passing games, losing that kind of experience this soon creates an early test the Steelers were trying to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Secondary Suddenly Has A Problem Early This Season
The Steelers secondary took an early hit before the 2026 season even got going, with starting safety DeShon Elliott landing on injured reserve with a designation to return. The move means Elliott must sit out the first four games while he works back from knee and hamstring injuries, another reminder that a defense built on stability can get tested quickly when one of its safeties is suddenly unavailable.
Mike McCarthy said Elliott has made progress, but the soreness he felt after a preseason game was enough to push the team toward caution. Pittsburgh now has three other safeties on the roster to lean on in the meantime, and Elliott is not expected to be eligible to return until Oct. 11 against the Indianapolis Colts, giving the Steelers at least a short-term depth problem to sort out on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Final Running Back Decision Just Got A Lot Tougher
The Steelers had some late backfield sorting to do before the NFL deadline, and one of the more notable decisions came at running back. Lew Nichols had put together a strong preseason, yet Pittsburgh still moved on from him as part of the final 53-man roster cuts, a reminder that camp production does not always translate into a spot once the numbers get tight. The team also dealt Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers before the cutdown, further reshaping the room.
Eli Heidenreich emerged as the rookie who stayed, earning the third running back job and giving Pittsburgh a younger piece to carry into the season. Even after the roster is official, the position still feels unsettled in a way the Steelers will have to manage, especially after a summer in which Nichols looked like he had forced his way into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]