There’s never a dull moment in the NFL, and specifically with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve been the talk of the league after they waited around (probably too patiently) for Aaron Rodgers to officially commit, a move that came after trading for DK Metcalf and sending hot-headed George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.
And that’s all before training camp started. There’s a lot more to dive into with the NFL as mandatory minicamps wrap up this week before a break for the summer.
Aaron Rodgers’ age could hold Pittsburgh back from playoff success
The Steelers got their quarterback, but at what cost? Rodgers is aging, and if his two seasons with the New York Jets were proof of anything, it’s that Father Time has taken its toll.
You could point to several things that caused the New York Jets to struggle with Rodgers. But the fact is, he should have looked better than he did in 2024, even coming off an Achilles injury. That’s a sign that he’s not what he used to be, and the Steelers are taking a big gamble here. They probably were better off giving Justin Fields a chance over Rodgers.
The truth is, if Rodgers doesn’t win at least one playoff game and make the Steelers real contenders, it would feel like they wasted time bringing him in. They waited all offseason and let every quarterback go off the market before they finally waited for him. It has to be worth the wait, especially considering that Rodgers' presence will prevent the team from bottoming out and acquiring a top pick in next year's draft.
Rodgers hasn’t given any indication he’s going to lead this Steelers team to be any better than it was in 2024, truthfully. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game in almost 10 years. They turned to Rodgers to fix that. Anything less than that was a waste. Despite his reputation and ability to win, age is a real thing. That will hinder him probably more than his Achilles injury in 2025.
George Pickens is already instilling fear in the NFC East after his arrival in Dallas
On paper, the Cowboys have once again put together a contending-level offense. But we’ve been down this road before. Having the players is one thing; producing on the field for 18 weeks? Well, that's another. That’s the one thing that has kept the Cowboys championship-less for the last three decades now.
According to an ESPN story, NFL teams are taking note of the Cowboys’ latest addition and know the threat it poses. Having Dak Prescott throwing to CeeDee Lamb and Pickens is a lethal combination. They needed a true No. 2 option for this offense to thrive.
Adding Pickens to the mix should instill fear to the rest of the division, but we have to remember until a game is played, we really don’t know how Pickens will fit with this offense. One of the reasons the Steelers were ready to move from him was because of his attitude. He’s very much a player that demands the ball and demands attention. He’s the new guy in this locker room, and with a very hands-on owner, he won’t have as long of a leash as he did in Pittsburgh.
Pickens is talented, there’s no doubt about that. But the other things could cause a problem to the point that it won’t matter what he does on the field. It’s something that followed him from college to the NFL and is still persistent after years in the league.
The Cowboys did the right thing in acquiring Pickens. If he puts his attitude to the side and just focuses on football, Dallas might have just as dangerous of a receiving core as the Cincinnati Bengals.
New York Jets looking to lock down two key youngsters in pivotal season
The Jets have started preliminary contract extension talks with two key youngsters in Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson. The key word here is preliminary: While they both have two years left on their rookie contracts, this is more than just a risk of holdouts. Each player has a pivotal season ahead of them.
Let’s look at Gardner first. He was one of the best cover corners in college, anchoring a Cincinnati defense that carried the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff from the Group of 5. That made him a top-five pick in the NFL Draft, which he followed up with a dynamic rookie season.
He’s since cooled off, and now faces a pivotal year where he has to prove he’s not just worth an extension but worth top dollar. According to an ESPN story, Derek Stingley Jr.'s three-year, $90 million extension to stay in Houston will serve as a baseline in Gardner’s extension talks.
Right now, Gardner isn’t worth that money. So if he feels that’s his floor, he needs to play like it this season. If he looks like he did during his rookie season and actually helps lead this Jets defense, it would be the best selling point possible to make him a key piece of the team's future.
The same goes for Wilson. On the offensive side, the Jets have had a merry-go-round of quarterbacks since Wilson’s rookie season. This year, they are putting their faith in Justin Fields. Not only does Fields face pressure to prove he’s a starting NFL quarterback, but Wilson has to prove he’s a $100 million-plus receiver.
He’s eclipsed 1,000 yards in all three of his seasons in the NFL, with a career-high seven receiving touchdowns last year. He will be Fields’ go-to target. This upcoming season is about proving he’s an undisputed No. 1 option and deserves to be paid like the top receivers in the league.