Pittsburgh

Steelers

Both Rodgers and OC Arthur Smith are students of “Matt LaFleur’s Shanahan-style offense,” so the two should theoretically gel well, conceptually. Rodgers is well past his prime, however, and DeFabo believes Metcalf’s speed could help alleviate age-related concerns. Though Metcalf performed poorly on slant routes last year, he has generally performed very well on them throughout his career. On qualifying routes, he’s caught 75-of-109 targets for 844 yards and six touchdowns while averaging more than 2.55 yards per slant-route run in 4-of-6 seasons.

“He’s still throwing the s--- out of the ball, honestly,” the veteran NFL coach told Fowler. “He’s the best quarterback they’ve had since (Ben Roethlisberger). We will see how the body holds up, but I think he’s going to help them immensely.” An NFL front office official said Rodgers, 41, has lost a step but should be good for the team’s pass catchers. “Look, the mobility is an issue, there’s no doubt,” an AFC executive said. “But where he helps them is with the plus arm strength and the field vision from the pocket. They haven’t had that. I’m not sure that will be enough, but the offense will be at least respectable.” How Rodgers will fit into Arthur Smith’s run-first offense remains to be seen. His arm strength and veteran savvy should make him an upgrade over Mason Rudolph, however.

The deal includes $9.21 million in guarantees. Elliott is now tied to the Steelers through the 2027 season and is coming off a career year, having amassed 108 combined tackles in his first season with the franchise in 2024. Elliott had an 83.9 PFF run defense grade, but more modest coverage numbers. He figures to be a main cog in the box for Pittsburgh again in 2025.

Batko adds that the two sides have been in communication throughout Watt’s minicamp absence. It is in both parties’ interest to get a new deal done, but Watt’s firm stance is likely a tad unsettling for Steelers fans. The stalwart EDGE is understandably dead set on being paid handsomely. Players are scheduled to report for Steelers training camp on July 23.

Azzanni heaped praise on Austin, who he deemed “a legit NFL receiver” who has been “overlooked” by the league and members of the media. Austin, according to Azzanni, will “bite your face off” as a run blocker and has show great toughness as a pass catcher. “Everyone else is battling for a spot and it’s going to be by committee,” Azzanni added. While Steelers coaches have talked up second-year WR Roman Wilson as a potential No. 2 wideout behind DK Metcalf, Azzanni made it sound like Austin as the WR2 is a done deal. Austin in 2024 had 36 receptions for 548 yards and four touchdowns. He was targeted on around 15 percent of his pass routes, a low rate by any standard. Whoever takes over as the No. 2 receiver in Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense will struggle to be fantasy relevant in a low-volume pass offense.

Rodgers, who signed a one-year deal with the Steelers last week, said he joined the team for 2025 because it was “best for my soul.” He’ll take over under center for the run-centric Arthur Smith offense that last season ranked 20th in EPA per play. “Rodgers, who still has some juice left in his right arm and displayed a quick release at practice, also is in a more stable and supportive environment for a QB than in New York,” DeFabo said. “Theoretically, he won’t have as much pressure to win games only with his right arm on a team that employs the NFL’s highest-paid defense and features a run-heavy offense that will limit his exposure.” Look for Smith and the Steelers to use plenty of play action — which Rodgers does not prefer — and ask Rodgers to make easy throws while leaning hard on the run. He’ll have precious little fantasy upside in 2025.

Smith continues to lobby for a new deal after a breakout 2024 campaign that saw the veteran reel in 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. While both Smith and the Dolphins want to work out a long-term deal, the Steelers have expressed sustained interest in Smith. Steelers OC Arthur Smith has a long history with Smith that dates back to their days together in Tennessee. Smith, 30, is set to make $4.7 million in 2025. He’s a candidate to hold out during training camp if he doesn’t get a contract extension from Miami.

Watt is not budging from his demands for a new deal going into the 2025 season. The Steelers reportedly expect to have Watt for Week 1, though the contract issue could drag well into the summer. Steelers beat writer Brian Batko said Tuesday that Watt and the team “agreeing to an extension is still the most likely outcome to me, but what makes this different than his last contract year is that he did go to minicamp back in 2021.” Not reporting this week would be a new leverage move for Watt, entering his age-31 season. Watt has 30.5 sacks and 38 tackles for loss over his past two seasons, each of which saw him play 17 games.

Solak raised questions about whether Rodgers is a feasible fit in Arthur Smith’s offensive system, which includes lots of under-center play-action passing — a play Rodgers has traditionally rejected because he doesn’t like turning his back to the defense. Solak said Metcalf’s imprecise route running could be a major bugaboo for the perfection-demanding Rodgers in 2025. “The ex-Seahawk is one of the less precise route runners in the NFL, and Rodgers famously demands perfection from his receivers as they run his hand-selected variety of highly specific routes,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine a 17-game season in which there is no sideline or postgame blowup between Rodgers and his top pass catcher.”

The deal includes $10 million in guaranteed money and $5.85 million in playing time and team performance incentives, bringing the potential total value to $19.5 million. It was previously reported that Rodgers would play for around $10 million this season with his new deal in Pittsburgh bringing that much in guarantees. The veteran quarterback would have made $37.5 million playing with the Jets this season, but the team has since moved on in favor of a cheaper contract with Justin Fields. Rodgers should not be expected to throw more than 30-33 times per-game based on the strength of Pittsburgh’s outstanding defense, which limits his fantasy appeal to deeper leagues and two-quarterback formats.