Aaron Rodgers has been getting comfortable in Pittsburgh over the last month. Still, he and the rest of the offense have a long way to go. There are new faces all around, and Rodgers is certainly not as athletic as he used to be. While he could have a great year, Chris Simms thinks he deserves some patience to start the season.
“I would say practice a little patience, in the fact that I don’t think the finished product is gonna be anything near what it should look like in Week 1 or 2,” Simms said on Pro Football Talk on Wednesday. “They’re gonna have to battle it out a little bit, and all that. But don’t be disheartened.”
If the Steelers’ offense got off to a better start to begin camp, this conversation might be slightly different. They have done better the past few days, with Rodgers being among that bunch. However, with a 41-year-old quarterback, two new running backs, and a new WR1, this process was always going to take a while.
A few injuries haven’t helped that process along, either. On the offensive line, a handful of players, notably left tackle Broderick Jones, have missed some time due to injuries. Even Calvin Austin III has struggled with some minor issues over the last couple of days. None of these injuries is anything major, but they do represent small bumps in the road as the offense tries to build chemistry.
That said, the improvements have been there. Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers got some flak for struggling to connect early in camp, but they’ve been much better recently. So has Roman Wilson, who has had two of his best practices in as many days. Of course, the success with those receivers coincides with Rodgers getting them the ball on time, which he’s doing a much better job of in recent days.
However, the games are a different story. Thus, many wonder whether Rodgers might play in the preseason or not. He’s willing to, but plenty of risks come with a 41-year-old quarterback in an exhibition game. Those snaps can be beneficial, though, so Rodgers may get a series or two over the next couple of weeks.
Either way, Simms is probably right that Aaron Rodgers won’t look like the “finished product” in Week 1. Physically, he should be fine after looking much more comfortable to end the 2024 season. But the chemistry is going to take time to develop. There’s a good chance Week 1 is the first time the entire offense is on the field together in a game situation. Some mistakes will happen. The Steelers just have to hope those things are ironed out sooner rather than later.
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