The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason came with a lot of change, but ESPN’s Seth Walder isn’t convinced it added up to enough.
Walder graded all 32 NFL teams on their offseason work and landed on a C+ for Pittsburgh, pointing straight at the quarterback situation as the biggest reason for his skepticism. The Steelers re-signed Aaron Rodgers, and Walder made clear he thinks that decision limits their ceiling in 2026.
“There is strength to this roster, but the reason the Steelers are a long shot to contend for the AFC crown in 2026 is their quarterback,” Wadler said. “They chose to re-sign Rodgers on a one-year, $22.5 million deal.
He is one of the all-time greats, but the last time he was even an above-average NFL quarterback was five years ago (granted, he was the MVP that season). The chances that he comes close to his previous level of greatness are very slim.”
Pittsburgh’s offseason was significant on several fronts, from hiring a new head coach to making ten selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Even so, Walder’s view is that the biggest swing still doesn’t solve the central issue. He also questioned the Steelers’ choice not to chase free agents such as Malik Willis and Kyler Murray, while taking issue with the Michael Pittman Jr. trade and labeling it a “negative value contract.”
There is at least some optimism around the rest of the roster. With offensive-minded head coach Mike McCarthy and new offensive additions, the Steelers could look sharper on that side of the ball. Still, Rodgers will be 43 soon, and Walder’s point is that age and recent performance make it tough to bet on a real rebound.
On defense, the outlook is more encouraging. Pittsburgh returns a core group under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and Walder believes that unit may be the team’s best shot at staying in the mix.
“If things break just right, the Steelers’ defense could keep them relevant in 2026. But it’s hard to see the offense having enough firepower for the team to make a serious run.”
The next checkpoint arrives when the Steelers report to Latrobe for training camp on July 28th, where fans will get their first look at the new-look team with McCarthy in charge.
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