NFL analyst lays out timeline for Aaron Rodgers to sign with the Steelers
NFL analyst lays out timeline for Aaron Rodgers to sign with the Steelers
Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the early stages of offseason work, which consists mostly of weights and rehab. The action heats up on May 27th with the third phase of OTAs, when we see the beginnings of real football, the installation of schemes, and the first opportunity for new players to start working on that all-important chemistry.
This is also when former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who was on The Herd, thinks free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers needs to make a decision about playing for the Steelers.
'I just mentioned the three phases for a veteran quarterback. Phase One feels like a waste of your time. Like, it's just lifting… There's no football there. Anyway, Phase Two, again, you're throwing to guys on air, not that important. Phase Three, I think, is really important. So for the Pittsburgh Steelers, I believe that's May 27th. May 27th is the start of Phase Three. I would circle that May 27th date as a date that, like, it would be really detrimental to be starting the missing time at that point,' Hasselbeck said.
If Rodgers doesn't make a decision soon, the Steelers could be forced to make a trade for Kirk Cousins or sign Carson Wentz to help boost the quarterback roster.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Sends Honest TJ Watt Message to Steelers
Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Sends Honest TJ Watt Message to Steelers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After several teams inexplicably passed on him in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Wisconsin pass rusher T.J. Watt at No. 30 overall. Advertisement And all he's proceeded to do since is be one of the best players at his position in the NFL. That's why it's hard to imagine a time before his retirement when Watt isn't a member of the Steelers roster. But here we are. Watt will enter the final season of his four-year, $112.011 million deal in 2025, and extension talks have reportedly not gone well when they've happened at all. A former player thinks that it's a travesty that an "iconic player" like Watt might not finish his career with the Steelers. "T.J. Watt's supposed to retire a Steeler," Chris Long said on 'The Rich Eisen Show'. "He's just one of those iconic players that, to me, and this is just a 'Joe Fan' take, that No. 90 right there in black and yellow, to me, that's how he's supposed to come in and that's how he's supposed to go out. It would be a real shame if he wasn't able to go out as a Steeler because he didn't get paid what he deserved to be paid." Advertisement Watt will turn 31 in mid-October, and it's possible Pittsburgh is leery of paying someone that age $40-plus million per season, which is what someone with Watt's numbers demands. Since joining the league in 2017, he's averaging 15.2 sacks per season, 65 tackles with 32 for loss and 32 QB hits. All averages. Per season. Wow. Long doesn't see Watt's age as an issue, but of course, he's not the one writing the checks in Pittsburgh. "I think at this level, nowadays guys in their 30s can really rush into their mid-30s because the game's a little bit easier on the body, and people are taking care of the players," he said. "The newer CBAs don't demand as much on the body, and if you know what you're doing late in your career, you can survive that way." Advertisement Related: Steelers Reportedly Extend Safety DeShon Elliott Related: Steelers Offensive Lineman Announces Position Change This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Steelers Rookie RB Steadily Improving
Steelers Rookie RB Steadily Improving originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost starting running back Najee Harris to the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason in free agency. So the team could use someone to step up in his place as a result. Advertisement And they have a rookie running back who could do just that. On a recent episode of his podcast, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly spoke a bit about the team's running back room, and he thinks rookie Kaleb Johnson could carve out a spot for himself in the team's backfield. "Kaleb Johnson has been working on it, but you can tell he has all of the tools and he's gonna pick that up really, really quickly," Kaboly said. The former Iowa running back has a bit of problem with pass-blocking, but that is what Kaboly says that the young rookie has been working on so far in team practice and OTAs. In his final season with the Hawkeyes, Johnson showed that he can carry a team by racking up 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, both of which led the Big Ten Conference. He was also able to show his versatility with just under 200 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Advertisement The Steelers were in the top half of the league this past season in rushing yards with the 11th-most. Now that Harris has moved on from the team, Johnson will be hoping he can slot in and prove his worth by continuing the team's success on the ground. Related: Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Sends Honest TJ Watt Message to Steelers Related: Steelers Praised For Most Controversial Offseason Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals Year 2 player outlook: S Rabbit Taylor-Demerson
Arizona Cardinals Year 2 player outlook: S Rabbit Taylor-Demerson A look 2024 at fourth-round pick Rabbit Taylor-Demerson and his second-year outlook in 2025. The Arizona Cardinals drafted 12 players in 2024. Some of them had contributions as rookies. Some will have greater roles in 2025. Others will have to battle for the roster. They selected safety Dadrion "Rabbit" Taylor-Demerson in the fourth round with the 104th overall pick. Entering Year 2 in the NFL, let's have a look at his 2025 outlook. S Rabbit Taylor-Demerson's 2024 season Taylor-Demerson got play a bit on defense and a lot on special teams as a rookie. On special teams, he logged 286 total snaps. He had two total special teams tackles. On defense, he was the first in at safety to spell or replace Budda Baker or Jalen Thompson, and he played as the sixth defensive back in dime packages. He had 37 total tackles, including three for loss, a forced fumble and was tied for third on the team with five pass breakups. Rabbit Taylor-Demerson's Year 2 outlook for 2025 If nothing else happens with the roster ahead of him with Baker or Thompson, Taylor-Demerson figures to be in the same role as last season, the backup at both safety spots, the dime back and a heavy special teams contributor. That's a solid role to have in Year 2. If things progress as they should, he should be primed to enter into a starting role in 2026 with Thompson entering the final year of his contract. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
