It was a busy first day of the legal tampering window for the Pittsburgh Steelers under GM Omar Khan. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was acquired via trade from the Indianapolis Colts, while contracts were reportedly agreed to with cornerback Jamel Dean and running back Rico Dowdle, giving the Steelers some splash.
Unsurprisingly to many though was the fact that the Steelers didn’t do anything at quarterback. Kyler Murray and Geno Smith remain on the market, while Tua Tagovailoa was quickly signed to a one-year, veteran minimum deal by the Atlanta Falcons Monday afternoon.
For ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Steelers’ movement on Monday and the lack of attention on the quarterback situation indicates to him that the Steelers are operating like a team that knows who the quarterback will be in 2026, and will likely be Aaron Rodgers, even after Rodgers revealed last week on the Pat McAfee Show that he doesn’t even have a contract offer from Pittsburgh at the moment.
“The Steelers didn’t do anything at quarterback yesterday, which is yet another indication that they are waiting for, and maybe expecting, Aaron Rodgers to return to them for the 2026 season,” Graziano said on SportsCenter Tuesday morning. “Rodgers made it clear last week on Pat McAfee’s show that he has not made any decisions that he didn’t really feel like he was under pressure to make one. But the Steelers seem to be operating like a team that knows who’s gonna be coming and playing quarterback.
“And I think it’s a matter of time before we get a decision on Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh.”
The swing on the Pittman trade by Khan and the Steelers addressed a major need on the roster, shoring up WR2 opposite DK Metcalf. Pittman is a strong possession receiver, one that can win off the line quickly and make tough catches in traffic over the middle. That was something the Steelers simply didn’t have last season.
Though the loss of left guard Isaac Seumalo and running back Kenneth Gainwell in free agency hurts, adding a punishing running back like Dowdle, one that had plenty of success with head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas, is a nice pivot for Khan and Co.
A veteran guard could be signed in the coming days to help replace Seumalo, but right now the Steelers appear to be operating as if they’re building up around the quarterback, and know who that quarterback will be.
It very well might be Rodgers. Hopefully a decision is made soon one way or another. If it’s not, the weapons in place now offensively could bode well for a combination of Mason Rudolph and Will Howard in the first year under McCarthy, giving the Steelers a chance to get a good, long look at Howard in the NFL.
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