Steelers Highest Ranked Position Group is Good News For Aaron Rodgers
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2025 season with a big question mark regarding how the offense is going to look under Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is entering his presumed final season, and the reports around camp are that the offense is taking some time to click.
More news: Browns' Shedeur Sanders Receives Official Injury Diagnosis, Timeline Return
That said, the Steelers do have the benefit of being ranked at the top of the list in one crucial area. This area is also huge news for Rodgers.
ESPN's Mike Clay released a grand position group ranking for all teams heading into Week 2 of preseason, and the outlook for Week 1 of the regular season.
The Steelers have been ranked the highest on that list in edge rushing. With T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig on the team, the unit is incredibly strong.
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
More news: Vikings' Update on Justin Jefferson is Bad News For Depleted WR Room
"T.J. Watt has been an All-Pro in each of his past five healthy seasons and has an NFL-high 108 sacks since entering the league in 2017 (only he and Myles Garrett have more than 83). Running mate Alex Highsmith sat out six games last season but remained a full-time player when healthy; his 33.5 sacks over the past four seasons rank 16th in the league. Nick Herbig (5.5 sacks in 13 games) was also terrific in an expanded role," Clay writes.
Pittsburgh made it a point to extend Watt, and that solved the issue of his potentially missing training camp or preseason action. Watt has been a monster pass rusher, and with Highsmith landing six sacks of his own, the pair are dangerous.
Though there is the old NFL adage that "defense wins championships," the Steelers ' solid defense is major news for Rodgers. Oftentimes in 2024, the Pittsburgh defense kept them in or won them games.
With Rodgers needing some time to gel with the offense, and the fact that he is an unknown factor in the grand scheme of things, having an elite defense is something that will greatly benefit him.
Watt and company will keep the Steelers defense in games, especially since the team also traded for Jalen Ramsey. Rodgers is no slouch, despite being 41 years old and in the twilight years of his career.
If Rodgers can still gun the ball downfield to DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III, his defense will do more than enough to make every game competitive.
The Steelers have some question marks, but one glaring benefit the roster has right now is the dangerous pass rush.
For more on the Steelers and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 Steelers injured during first quarter of preseason Week 2 matchup vs Buccaneers
The Pittsburgh Steelers saw two injuries during the first quarter of their preseason Week 2 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — outside linebacker Nick Herbig and long snapper Christian Kuntz. Herbig was ruled OUT with a hamstring injury after playing just three snaps on the opening drive, while Kuntz was ruled OUT with a chest injury. Herbig looked strong on the Steelers' first defensive series — coming inches away from sacking Buccaneers QB Teddy Bridgewater before the veteran signal-caller scrambled out of danger to his right. Steelers defensive lineman Logan Lee served as the emergency long snapper in place of Kuntz on Saturday. We at Steelers Wire are committed to providing you updates on both injuries, with more news on the unfortunate situation potentially becoming available when HC Mike Tomlin addresses the media following the contest. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 2 Steelers injured during preseason Week 2 matchup vs Buccaneers
New York Times
43 minutes ago
- New York Times
How to watch and odds for Sunday's NFL preseason games: Jaguars at Saints, Bills at Bears
The NFL preseason continues its slow ooze through August, with two out-of-market scrimmages on two different networks this Sunday. New head coach Liam Coen gets a limited look at his Jacksonville Jaguars, matched by fellow newcomer Kellen Moore with the New Orleans Saints. Up north, the Buffalo Bills and their attendant camera crew will see a few tuneup drives against the Chicago Bears' first-teamers. Below is the national and regional broadcast info, plus training camp roundups and best 'fusion' players from each matchup. Out-of-market fans can stream regional preseason games with an NFL+ subscription. Travis Hunter has been getting reps on both sides of the ball this summer, but he missed Friday's practice with what Coen tagged an 'upper-body injury.' Don't expect to see much of the No. 2 overall pick in this spot. Hunter caught both of his targets for 9 yards during last weekend's preseason opener, and he clocked another eight snaps as a defensive back. Trevor Lawrence completed 6 of 7 passes for 43 yards. The Saints led with second-round rookie Tyler Shough last time out against the Chargers. He went 15-for-22 in Inglewood, good for 165 yards and this loping touchdown to second-year wideout Mason Tipton: Shough it. Tipton down there somewhere. TOUCHDOWN SAINTS! 🙌 📺: FOX — New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 10, 2025 Surprised to see you here: Did you realize that Brandin Cooks dug up the black and gold again? He started his career with three solid New Orleans seasons between 2014-16, and what do we know … the 11-year pro caught a pass for the Saints last Saturday. Best player to wear both jerseys (by Approximate Value): Mark Brunell (104 AV captaining the Jaguars, 0 in two years on the Saints' bench) Please advise … this matchup is capable of spectacular, artful dumbness: 😲 Difficile de faire plus incroyable que la fin du match Saints – Jaguars en 2003 Un des Touchdowns les plus surréalistes de l'histoire sur la dernière action… pour rien !#DUUUVAL | #Saints ⏰ 02:15 📺 @beinsports_FR 1 #NFLextra 📱 @NFLonDAZN — NFL France (@NFLFrance) October 19, 2023 Hunter: 'It's difficult to set a baseline rookie expectation for Hunter — we've really never seen anything like him. The Jaguars have designed a camp plan that will work him on both sides of the football, including at corner and receiver in some of the same practices. It might take Hunter more time to make an impact defensively, but expect him to be a playmaker pretty quickly on offense when he's given a chance. Athletically, he's been ready for at least two years.' Advertisement Kelvin Banks Jr. : 'Not only did I have other tackle prospects higher than Banks on my final board, but also I was in the camp that saw him more as a guard. Banks only played left tackle in college, and New Orleans got great rookie production from Taliese Fuaga at that spot last year. Although Banks has repped everywhere but center so far in New Orleans, the hope is surely for him to ultimately take over for Trevor Penning opposite Fuaga on one side or the other. I'm just going to be a bit nervous here until I see it all come together.' The freshly installed Ben Johnson said that he'll play his starters this weekend, so audiences just may get a few Caleb Williams dropbacks. Tyson Bagent (13-of-19, 103 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and Case Keenum (8-of-10, 80 yards, 2 TDs) were under center last weekend, when Chicago and Miami tied at 24 apiece. Buffalo is this preseason's 'Hard Knocks' host, which has at least made for KJ Hamler electric scooter misadventures. The Bills hosted the Giants last Sunday and lost 34-25. Dawson Knox caught a score from Mitchell Trubisky, and Mike White threw two second-half TDs. Let's get season four of 'White Lotus' set in Orchard Park. Surprised to see you here: Frank Gore Jr. played for the Bills last weekend. Time keeps on slipping, slipping. Best player to wear both jerseys (by Approximate Value): Ruben Brown (82 AV with the Bills, 19 with the Bears) 'As the Bills have several tough decisions to make, a difficult situation is developing with the depth of their offensive line. The Bills projected that second-year center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger could be back by the third preseason game, which would put him on pace to start the year on the active roster. Alec Anderson returned to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, so he'll also begin the year on the 53-man roster. Tylan Grable has been out since last week with a concussion, though with over three weeks before the season, it's likely he'll be back, too. All three are considered locks for the roster. That's where the decision comes in between offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark and rookie Chase Lundt. The Bills are most likely to keep only nine offensive linemen this year due to needs elsewhere on the team, setting up for a big short-term versus long-term debate for the final spot.' — Joe Buscaglia Advertisement 'The passing game got a 'stock down' from me earlier this week. It hasn't been consistent in camp. But the group had a strong session Thursday in a non-padded practice. Wide receiver Rome Odunze is coming on strong this week with some big-time catches. The starting offense got a field goal in the two-minute drill. Odunze can make a quarterback look good with his ability to catch 50-50 balls. Williams has to rely on Odunze, along with DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland and Olamide Zaccheaus, who's had an impressive camp. The test begins Friday at the joint practice and will continue Sunday night in the game, but Williams would certainly love to build some confidence against a team like the Bills by getting in a rhythm and making some big plays. They had some success against Miami last week, but not in the red zone. They need to improve in that area.' — Kevin Fishbain Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Caleb Williams: Michael Reaves / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
43 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ravens 2-0 in preseason: 3 who impressed, 3 who struggled, 1 who prompted a question
The Baltimore Ravens didn't have a whole lot of roster questions heading into their second preseason game Saturday night against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. They appear to have even fewer coming out of it. Following a thorough 31-13 victory over Dallas, Ravens coach John Harbaugh added more clarity to some of the decisions he and general manager Eric DeCosta will have to make by the cutdown deadline on Aug. 26. Advertisement He confirmed the Ravens will not resuscitate the kicker competition, which ended early in camp when the team waived undrafted rookie John Hoyland. With Keaton Mitchell currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, Harbaugh said the plan is to keep four running backs to start the regular season, which likely means that Rasheen Ali has made the team and the Ravens will be going short at another position. 'That'll be the challenge, because there's more than 53 guys that would be good enough to make the team,' Harbaugh said after a game in which the Ravens displayed their depth in blanketing the Cowboys despite playing just two projected starters defensively. Harbaugh announced that second-year edge rusher Adisa Isaac dislocated his elbow while playing special teams Saturday. Isaac, a 2024 third-round pick, was projected to be the team's fifth outside linebacker. His injury could open up a spot for somebody else and potentially take David Ojabo off the roster bubble. Harbaugh also acknowledged that the Ravens have a decision to make on second-year safety Beau Brade, who has been perceived for much of the summer as a legitimate contender for the No. 3 safety role and a likely core special teamer. However, he now appears firmly on the roster bubble with the emergence of undrafted rookie defensive backs Reuben Lowery and Keyon Martin, who both made plays Saturday while getting far more opportunities defensively than Brade received. The Ravens' decision-makers still have a little over a week to make their toughest roster decisions. Their immediate focus will be reviewing and evaluating the tape from the dominating preseason victory over the Cowboys. Below are three who impressed, three who didn't and one who is prompting a question. Loop showed the Ravens something in the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts when, after he missed a 46-yarder, he rebounded to convert from 52 yards. Against the Cowboys, he again displayed his short-term memory. Loop missed a 50-yard attempt in the fourth quarter but responded a few minutes later by converting from 53 yards. Advertisement All told, Loop was 5 of 6 on fieldgoal attempts and hit both of his extra points as part of a busy evening. He made from 29, 51, 42, 36 and 53 yards. After the game, Harbaugh acknowledged Loop would be the Week 1 kicker, which was not groundbreaking, as Baltimore doesn't have another kicker on its roster. Still, it was another benchmark for Loop to clear, and given all the pressure and attention on him as the successor for Justin Tucker, a night like Saturday goes a long way. The reality is it will be difficult to have complete confidence in the rookie sixth-round pick until he delivers on a big stage and in a big spot. AT&T Stadium is a big stage, but the second preseason game is hardly a big spot. For Loop, though, Saturday certainly beats the alternative of missing kicks and triggering talk that the Ravens need to sign a veteran kicker. Baltimore's decision-makers do their best to limit the hype around undrafted free agents. The less attention they get, the more likely it is they can clear waivers and find a spot on the practice squad to continue their development. Lowery, the rookie free agent out of Tennessee-Chattanooga, has made it awfully hard for the Ravens to keep him under wraps. Lowery has been making plays all offseason. He flashed in organized team activities and during the mandatory minicamp. He carried that momentum into training camp, where he's gotten a few interceptions and been around the football a lot. Harbaugh has even started to mention him by name, which shows how far he's come. A mechanical engineering major at Tennessee-Chattanooga, Lowery didn't do anything special on his second-quarter interception against Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton. He was exactly where he should have been, and he made the catch on an overthrow in the end zone. Being in the right spot at the right time is precisely what he's done all summer while taking reps at both safety spots and at cornerback. DEFENSE CAME TO PLAY Tune in on WBAL! — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 17, 2025 The Ravens appear set with their top six cornerbacks and their top three safeties, with Sanoussi Kane playing behind starting safeties Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks. Their No. 4 spot is unsettled, and it's believed to be between Lowery and Brade, a second-year safety who made the team last year as an undrafted free agent. It seemed notable Saturday that Lowery played ahead of Brade on defense. Advertisement The 2024 fourth-round pick was one of the standouts early in training camp, delivering a big play on a near-daily basis and showing just how much he had improved since his rookie season. However, his play seemed to plateau in recent weeks, and during one practice, he got an earful from quarterback Lamar Jackson about his effort on a play. Saturday should provide a much-needed confidence boost for a player who probably needed it. Walker didn't have a catch in the preseason opener, but quarterback Cooper Rush looked the former North Carolina standout's way early and often, targeting him seven times in the first quarter alone and completing five of those passes for 47 yards. Walker had another 14-yard reception later in the game. He didn't get any opportunities to show his field-stretching ability, and that's the dimension he should add to Baltimore's offense. However, just having an opportunity to make some plays is a step forward for Walker, who had only one catch as a rookie. Walker is believed to be a roster lock as the team's No. 5 receiver. The Ravens knew he needed significant development when they drafted him, so it wouldn't make any sense for them to move on after just one year. However, Walker is trying to earn himself a role on gamedays in a wide receiver room that includes Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins. On Saturday, he made a case. For all the attention on much-maligned right guard Daniel Faalele, the bigger concern with the Ravens might be with their reserve offensive tackle options if starters Ronnie Stanley or Roger Rosengarten are injured. The Ravens are thin there, with rookie third-round tackle Emery Jones Jr. still yet to make his summer debut because of a shoulder injury and potentially starting the regular season on the non-football injury list. Offseason free-agent acquisition Joseph Noteboom, a former Los Angeles Ram, is the team's swing tackle/sixth offensive lineman. He has stayed healthy this summer, which hasn't been easy for him over the years, but he struggled in limited action Saturday. He was beaten on back-to-back plays in the first quarter, the second resulting in a Rush incompletion and forcing a punt. Vinson, the rookie fifth-round pick out of Alabama A&M, had a few difficult reps, including one in which he was flattened by Cowboys defensive end James Houston. After that play, Harbaugh summoned Vinson to the sideline for a chat. The rookie stabilized from there. Still, Noteboom and Vinson did nothing to extinguish concerns about the team's tackle depth. Advertisement Wester stole the spotlight in the Ravens' preseason-opening win with a pulsating 87-yard punt touchdown return, a solid 17-yard return and a team-leading two catches for 41 yards. Saturday, though, was a struggle for the rookie sixth-round pick out of Colorado. Wester was sure-handed in making two fair catches, and he smartly stayed away from a third punt. Punt returner figures to be his primary role on the team, so in that respect, Wester did his job. But he surely wants to contribute on offense, and he didn't convert on a few early chances. On Rush's pick six by Andrew Booth in the first quarter, Wester seemed slow to get his head around, and then he got muscled by the Dallas cornerback. Andrew Booth steal & score 😤 📺: #BALvsDAL on CBS11 📲: Stream on NFL+ — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 16, 2025 Wester was targeted three other times. One was a drop, and the other two were incompletions in which he struggled to get separation or play through contact. It should be a good learning experience for the diminutive receiver. The 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan had a relatively quiet night, finishing with three tackles but registering no statistics on the quarterback. Baltimore's defense dominated the game, with Cowboys quarterbacks completing just 10 of 23 pass attempts for 155 yards, while throwing an interception and getting sacked four times. It would be hard to find fault with anybody's effort on the defensive side of the ball for the Ravens. Still, it's fair to ask whether Ojabo has done enough to lock down a roster spot, even if one now appears open with Isaac (the No. 5 edge rusher) potentially starting the season on injured reserve. Ojabo has shown potential in flashes, but he's been relatively quiet in preseason games beyond an uncontested sack of Anthony Richardson in the preseason opener. His momentum from a strong start in training camp practices has abated a bit, too. It's going to be hard for the Ravens to have five outside linebackers active on gameday regardless, particularly if the fifth one doesn't play special teams, and Ojabo doesn't. Starting Isaac on injured reserve wouldn't have to mean that the Ravens use his spot to keep Ojabo, although that would be the most obvious move. (Photo of Devontez Walker: Sam Hodde / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
