Aaron Rodgers needed less than a week to start alienating his Steelers teammates

The Pittsburgh Steelers did what everyone expected them to do all offseason, signing Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract in what is presumably his final NFL campaign. It's a chance for Rodgers to fix a few narratives after a tumultuous stint in East Rutherford. It's also a chance, in theory, for the Steelers to mount a deep playoff run, led by one of the all-time great quarterbacks.

The expectations versus the reality of Aaron Rodgers are vastly different at this stage of his career, however. The dude's 41 years old and has spent more time over the last few years mulling a vice presidential run than actually winning football games. It may be strong to call Rodgers cooked, but he's awfully close. The zippy long-range passes and delicate, evasive footwork in the pocket — that stuff just isn't there anymore.

What's worse is the locker room distraction. It loomed large over the Jets and was enough for New York fans to celebrate Justin Fields like he's Lamar Jackson. Now Pittsburgh needs to deal with the media circus and the fraught locker room dynamics inherent to a four-time MVP who thinks he still has it but who reeeeally does not.

It looks like some of Rodgers' teammates are already tired of the experience.

Steelers' Pat Freiermuth looks despondent after Aaron Rodgers misses him on practice route

The vibes in Steelers practice don't seem great. Here is tight end Pat Freiermuth throwing his arms up after Aaron Rodgers dumps it off to a wide receiver at the line of scrimmage. It's hard to gleam anything meaningful from a single practice rep, but it does feel foreboding that Rodgers is already making dinky throws in seven-on-sevens with zero pass rush.

Freiermuth is not the first pass-catcher to appear wounded when a pass does not come his way. Maybe this is nothing and the cameras just caught the one bad moment from an otherwise productive practice. But for those rightfully worried about how exactly Rodgers' tenure in Pittsburgh will play out, this footage raises alarm bells. It's hard to blame 'em.

Aaron Rodgers will need to prove a lot of folks wrong with Steelers

Last season was not entirely unproductive for Rodgers individually. He threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns, with 11 interceptions to his name. But he also took 40 sacks and coughed up five fumbles. The mistakes piled up over time.

Rodgers, long known for his rapid-fire processing and quick delivery, can still get the ball out quickly. When he doesn't, however, the offense sours in a hurry. Rodgers can't tiptoe through traffic and navigate a crowded pocket like he used to. His arm, while not completely dead, is halfway there. Rodgers just can't generate the velocity and accuracy that once defined him. He's still incredibly smart on the football field, but his ability to capitalize on that unique IQ has waned.

Pittsburgh spent the majority of last season with an aging former Super Bowl champ at quarterback. It did not go well. Rodgers is five years older than Russell Wilson and probably even further over the hill. It is what it is. The Steelers did a nice job building out the roster and attempting to go all-in, but with Rodgers at the commands (and Arthur Smith calling plays), there's reason for skepticism.