It’s been rather interesting for the Pittsburgh Steelers since the start of the legal tampering period.
Dating back to last week, the Steelers have traded for star receiver DK Metcalf and given him a new five-year, $150 million deal, signed veteran cornerbacks Darius Slay and Brandin Echols, added linebacker Malik Harrison, running back Kenneth Gainwell and safety Juan Thornhill on one-year deals, and re-signed defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk one day after signing veteran DL Daniel Ekuale.
During that time, though, the Steelers have also been waiting on an answer from 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers, fortunately, added Mason Rudolph on a two-year deal to shore up quarterback some. But the Steelers still remain in limbo.
Despite it being an interesting offseason featuring a number of moves, the Steelers’ offseason to date remains very confusing for former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum.
In a piece for ESPN.com, Tannenbaum chose the Steelers’ offseason moves as the most head-scratching ones so far.
“The events in Pittsburgh. The DK Metcalf trade and extension is understandable, especially in light of George Pickens going into the final year of his contract,” Tannenbaum wrote. “But Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the only quarterbacks on the Steelers’ 2025 roster at the moment. Until that position is settled, everything else is irrelevant.”
Tannenbaum has a point that until quarterback is figured out, whether that’s Aaron Rodgers signing with the Steelers or rolling with Mason Rudolph into the 2025 NFL Draft and grabbing a QB there, the Steelers are seemingly trying to plug holes in a sinking boat.
Landing Metcalf was a great move for the Steelers. It only cost them a second-round pick and addressed a major need. His presence will create a soft landing for whomever the quarterback is. Adding Slay shores up the secondary, as does Echols, giving the Steelers two veterans to plug into the lineup with Joey Porter Jr.
Guys like Gainwell and Thornhill shore up depth in a major way, too. The Steelers’ only real head-scratching move of the offseason is signing Harrison and letting Elandon Roberts walk for less money. It’s not a one-to-one replacement and the Steelers seemingly lost out on the better player in the changes.
But right now, all eyes are on quarterback. If it’s Rodgers, things look a little better this offseason for Pittsburgh. If it’s not and they pivot to someone like Russell Wilson or Joe Flacco, it’s not great. To be clear: landing Rodgers isn’t great either.
For now, though, the Steelers are operating on the fringes while still waiting for a bite in the quarterback market. It’s not a great place to be, and it has many raising eyebrows at what the Steelers are doing this offseason, including Tannenbaum.
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