Another offseason, another wait on Aaron Rodgers to decide whether he’s going to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers or not. While this saga shouldn’t last as long as last year’s, the Steelers are still stuck between a rock and a hard place until he does make a decision.
That’s mostly because, once again, there aren’t a ton of options outside of Rodgers. So little that former NFL receiver Chad Johnson thinks things could get pretty rough in Pittsburgh if Rodgers doesn’t return.
“They still got a long way to go,” Johnson said Sunday on his Nightcap podcast. “They need another weapon to go alongside DK Metcalf. I’m talking about a reliable option to go along with DK Metcalf. He can’t do it by himself…[Rodgers] gives you a chance to compete. Because if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t come back, oh my goodness. It’s gonna get ugly. It’s gonna be nasty.”
If Rodgers does return, Johnson’s hopes rise a bit higher.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say legitimate [Super Bowl] contenders,” he said. “They’re legitimate contenders in the AFC, AFC North.”
The Steelers still have some improvements to make before reaching true contender status, as Johnson says. If Rodgers comes back, there is a path to contention, though. He just won 10 games and the division last year, and probably could have come away with more if not for some poor defensive play at times.
The Steelers definitely need to add a receiver, and they might need to add at left guard and running back too. But the foundation is there. Aaron Rodgers has a lot of trust in the offensive line, which will mostly be the same in 2026. He has a good connection with DK Metcalf, and if the Steelers add a true WR2 that would really help the offense out.
However, that’s all considering he does come back. If he doesn’t, things get much more complicated, and essentially every other choice at quarterback is more of a risk. On the free agent market, the Steelers could look to bring in someone like Malik Willis. But the market is barren outside of him. Willis likely being expensive with only six career NFL starts always carries risk, although the upside is there. On the trade market, Mac Jones, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa are the three hottest names.
In Will Howard, the Steelers do have one young option at the position. But Johnson doesn’t have a lot of confidence in him either. There’s a lot to like about Howard, but he’s a sixth-round pick who’s never played a snap, so the lack of confidence is somewhat justified. Pittsburgh could draft a quarterback, potentially Ty Simpson in the first round, or someone late on Day 2 or 3.
At the end of the day, there are some positions the Steelers need to upgrade no matter what. While Pittsburgh could figure things out either way, Johnson doesn’t see a lot of optimism without Aaron Rodgers in the building.
Recommended for you