Lengthy earlier than the Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed on Thursday night that they plan to signal free agent Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract, analysts and reporters questioned if he can be the proper of quarterback to play underneath offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Based on ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano, Rodgers and Smith possible have already mentioned how they are going to work collectively from the ultimate days of spring by the upcoming season.
“He has been in contact with the Steelers all through the method,” Graziano mentioned about Rodgers throughout Friday’s version of the ESPN “Get Up” program, as shared by Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. “They type of knew the place they stood. I do know he is been in contact with the offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, over the previous few weeks. In order that they’ve exchanged concepts, what it will seem like, all that type of stuff.”
Per ESPN stats, Rodgers ended this previous common season with the second-most move makes an attempt (584) in all of the NFL. It appears possible, if not sure, he’ll be requested to embrace a “much less is extra” method in Smith’s run-happy offense that options ball-carriers Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Kaleb Johnson.
That mentioned, Rodgers visited with the Steelers again in March and reportedly had a optimistic chat with Smith. It was mentioned at the moment that Smith was “excited to work with” the long run Corridor of Famer after the coach reportedly didn’t have the very best working relationship with veteran signal-caller Russell Wilson because the 2024 Steelers ended the season with a five-game shedding streak that lasted by a wild-card playoff defeat towards the rival Baltimore Ravens.
“Rodgers’ finest season in latest historical past was 2020 enjoying underneath (Inexperienced Bay Packers head coach) Matt LaFleur in a system that used play-action and movement at a lot greater relative charges than what the Jets ran final season,” ESPN’s Seth Walder talked about in a chunk revealed Thursday night time. “Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith ran play-action 27% of the time final season (tenth most) however was mild on movement on the snap at simply 16% (twenty eighth).”
Walder added that “the Steelers ranked thirteenth in move block win fee final season.” For what it is value, Pittsburgh’s Broderick Jones is shifting from proper sort out to left sort out after Dan Moore Jr. signed with the Tennessee Titans this previous March.
Ultimately, the Steelers are banking on Rodgers staying wholesome and searching just like the succesful quarterback who featured for the Jets throughout his remaining 4 video games with that group. It stays to be seen if that model of Rodgers will show to be an improve over what Wilson gave the Steelers final season.
