For many teams, going 10-7 in consecutive seasons wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, though, they still seemed stuck in NFL purgatory. Something had to change, leading to a bold offseason and a more favorable outlook entering 2025-26.
More favorable to some, that is. ESPN sports analytics writer Seth Walder certainly isn’t among that group. In his annual list of offseason grades, Pittsburgh was given a “C” mark for its efforts dating back to March. Two moves, in particular, still have Walder a bit hung up. He dubbed the offseason something for “an old team trying to take one last swing.”
Probable Outcome for 2025 Steelers is ‘Disappointment,’ Writes Analyst
First and foremost is the club’s acquisition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While he’s undoubtedly a future Hall of Fame talent, the four-time MVP no longer appears to be an elite (or even great) player. Can he still be an upgrade?
Perhaps, which Walder acknowledges, but the range of outcomes isn’t split too evenly in his eyes.
“The most likely outcome of the Rodgers signing by far is disappointment and a wasted season,” Walder wrote on July 10. “But the upside remains — and there’s more of it with Rodgers than with any of the Steelers’ other realistic QB options, which is why the signing made some sense, especially at the extremely cheap cost Rodgers commanded. But Pittsburgh could have coupled the Rodgers signing with a stronger investment than sixth-rounder Will Howard in the draft, especially considering how far Shedeur Sanders fell.”
Make this the latest in a long run of opinions on what Rodgers can – or perhaps will – bring to the Steelers. Some have said if Rodgers takes more of a back seat, this team can reach the AFC Championship game. Others aren’t even sure if the 41-year-old finishes the season as the starter.
There’s also the element of who Rodgers is throwing to. DK Metcalf is a nice starting piece, but Walder is wary of the remaining wideout depth chart.
Blockbuster Offseason Trade Questioned With Training Camp on Horizon
The second-biggest move of the Steelers’ offseason also drew criticism from Walder. In late June, the franchise shipped longtime safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith.
On paper, this gave Pittsburgh a serious injection of talent on both sides of the ball. Walder, however, isn’t a fan of the process. Part of that seems to stem from the finances involved, whether it be for Ramsey or Fitzpatrick.
“Pittsburgh sent shockwaves when it traded Fitzpatrick and a late-round pick swap to the Dolphins for Ramsey and Smith in late June,” Walder wrote. “I did not think it was a great move. The Dolphins were struggling to find someone to take Ramsey’s contract, yet Pittsburgh not only took on most of the money, but sent back a high-end safety with two years and no guaranteed money left on his contract.”
Shifting to the offense, Smith is excited to join a prestigious organization with a coordinator he knows well. Expecting Arthur Smith to bring the tight end another quality campaign is iffy, if you ask Walder.
“Yes, the Steelers got an Arthur Smith favorite in Jonnu Smith, but I’d caution overrating that part,” Walder wrote. “Smith is a good YAC player coming off a career-best season in which he recorded 884 receiving yards, but we shouldn’t ignore the previous seven seasons of his career (including some with Smith) that were not on that level.”
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For Walder, a mediocre grade comes with lower bar being set for a club that shook things up in recent months.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post ‘One Last Swing’ Steelers Offseason Given Mediocre Grade appeared first on Heavy Sports.