Expectations for the Pittsburgh Steelers are somewhat unclear heading into the season. Much of the skepticism comes from the offense of both a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers and the lack of weapons around him. Looking at the chart of Rodgers' targets throughout training camp, the need for another receiver is glaring. DK Metcalf's 45 targets lead all players by a significant margin, with Roman Wilson next up with just 17 targets.
Charted all of Aaron Rodgers' targets through the team periods of training camp (full chart in link)
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) August 15, 2025
No surprise Metcalf laps the field but Rodgers found his tight ends on the goal line, too. Freiermuth, Washington, & Smith combined for 8 TDs. #Steelershttps://t.co/c7v6TVsX4d pic.twitter.com/8VaqeZX6ar
While it's no surprise that the newly acquired Metcalf leads all players, the gap is a bit surprising. Tight end Pat Freumiteth (14) and running back Kenneth Gainwell (13) are next up. Scotty Miller (11) is third among receiver targets. Perhaps getting Calvin Austin back will help, but the Steelers' supporting receiving cast is still a significant problem.
For a team with playoff aspirations, this could be a fatal flaw. Rodgers is coming off a down season, and there are already concerns about how effective he will be. Undoubtedly, his WR situation makes it even harder for Rodgers.
The Steelers' WR situation could derail their season
Last year, the Steelers ranked 27th in passing yards, a number that likely won't improve this season. The Steelers have a legitimate WR1 in Metcalf, but severely lack a WR2. Pittsburgh traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, who would have been an elite WR2. However, without him, the Steelers arguably have the worst wide receiver room outside of Metcalf.
The Steelers will likely need to trade for a receiver, or this problem will derail their season. Once the season gets rolling, opposing defenses will be able to devote most of their attention to Metcalf. This could take away Rodgers' only dependable weapon. As a result, the Steelers will have a limited upside, especially when paired with Rodgers' age and declining play. Sure, their defense will be elite, but that won't matter if they have one of the league's worst offenses.
If the Steelers don't make a mid-season trade, they'll depend on screen plays from their running backs and tight ends to have a respectable offense. In the modern NFL, not having an explosive offense is problematic. While Metcalf is talented, he's not good enough to be a one-man show.
We already knew the Steelers' wide receiver room outside of DK was an issue. However, after seeing the training camp target shares, this problem seems even more significant than we anticipated. If the Steelers don't address this problem, they will be in for a rude awakening.