The Steelers may not have gotten everything right at quarterback this offseason, but they avoided the move that could have really haunted them. Letting Aaron Rodgers come back instead of chasing Malik Willis looks like the cleaner decision by the week, and Pittsburgh is being rewarded for patience.
At the start of free agency, Willis sat near the top of the available quarterback market, and Pittsburgh looked like a natural fit. Instead, the Steelers had Rodgers waiting in the wings, and that turned out to be the better path. Willis eventually landed with the Miami Dolphins on a three-year, $67.5 million deal after just six NFL starts, a bet that looked bold then and looks rough now.
Miami’s season has gone sideways, while Pittsburgh has pushed itself into the mix. The Steelers have plenty to clean up with Rodgers under center, but they still made the stronger offseason call. Signing Willis to anything close to the contract Miami handed him would have been a costly mistake.
That part matters, too. Pittsburgh will be off Rodgers’ cap hit after this season, which gives the team flexibility heading into the offseason. The long-term quarterback picture is still murky, but at least the Steelers won’t be tied to a deal that could have boxed them in.
Willis has struggled badly in Miami. Through five winless starts to open the year, he has two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, 1,035 total yards, and seven turnovers. The misses have been constant, and the decisions have often looked shaky even by rookie standards.
Rodgers hasn’t been spotless, but he has been the steadier option. In five starts, he has gone 3-2, thrown for 1,234 yards, tossed 10 touchdown passes, and committed five turnovers. The Steelers brought him back for this final season before retirement, and so far that move has put them in better position than if they had rolled the dice on Willis.
Maybe the comparison isn’t perfectly clean, since Miami’s roster is weaker. Even so, Rodgers has clearly played the better football. Pittsburgh can at least be thankful it only has to ride out Rodgers’ season, not the kind of contract and quarterback performance Miami is staring at.
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Steelers Suddenly Have A Receiver Problem They Cant Ignore
The Steelers are staring at a receiver shortage they cant really wish away. With injuries piling up ahead of Week 6, Pittsburgh suddenly has only a small group of healthy wideouts from its initial 53-man roster, turning what looked like manageable depth into a real roster issue as the season moves deeper into October.
That kind of squeeze naturally sends the conversation toward the trade market, and several names are already circulating as possible fits. Jauan Jennings, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy and Brian Thomas all come with different levels of production, age and cost, but the larger point is obvious: Pittsburgh may need to explore outside help if it wants to stabilize a passing game that has been tested by attrition. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Trade Deadline Search Puts One Roster Need In The Spotlight
The Steelers are circling the trade market with the November 10 deadline approaching, and the search has put wide receiver front and center. Injuries and a clear need for more help at the position have made that part of the roster impossible to ignore, and ESPN analysts floated a handful of names as possible targets, including Rashod Bateman, Quentin Johnston, Jauan Jennings and Jerry Jeudy.
Not every name comes with the same level of realism, though, which is where the conversation gets interesting for Pittsburgh. Some fits are complicated by how their current teams view them, while others run into the usual hurdle that comes with trying to pry a player away at midseason, especially when division lines and team performance shape what kind of deal is even available. For the Steelers, the question is not just whether they want another receiver, but which target can actually be had without overpaying. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Defense Is Responding Fast To Patrick Grahams Latest Tweak
Patrick Graham made a visible adjustment after the loss to Cleveland, leaving the coaches booth and taking his place on the sideline. It was a move he said he welcomed if it helped the Steelers, and it seemed to do exactly that. Communication sharpened, the defense looked more connected and the unit brought a noticeable edge into Sundays game against Indianapolis.
The immediate payoff showed up in the run game, where Pittsburgh did a much better job keeping Jonathan Taylor under control. There were still some issues behind that, especially in coverage, but the bigger picture was hard to miss: Graham is willing to change his own routine if it helps the defense function better. For a team trying to build something sustainable, that kind of flexibility can matter as much as any single game. [Read more 🡒]