This is a precarious offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Going winless over their last five games exacerbated concerns over the direction of the franchise. Their last playoff win occurred eight seasons ago. Free agency is their first opportunity to make an immediate splash.
Their needs this offseason are evident. Wide receiver and quarterback are the most relevant gaps on their roster. However, free agency can be as much of a nightmare as it can be a minefield. For every Sam Darnold, some team signs a Kirk Cousins. The Steelers have a minefield to traverse. Their options are plentiful but two there are two players in particular who the the black and gold should pass on. The Steelers have a $63 million salary cap war chest waiting to be used. Here are the players they should avoid once free agency commences on March 12.
Steelers need to stay away from Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers showed just enough life at the tail end of the 2024 season to convince teams he can still sling a pigskin. However, Rodgers’ stubbornness and unwillingness to adapt to offenses that utilize motion, combined with his advancing age has done a number on him in recent years. A thin-skinned 41-year-old, who has exhibited selfish tendencies while demonstrating an inelasticity towards adapting to a changing league probably isn’t a recipe for success.
Because of those traits and various other discretion, he remains one of the best at diagnosing defenses pre-snap. Last season, Rodgers threw for 3,887 yards, and 28 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. However, he’s also a polarizing personality. After being coddled by the Jets and Packers, how will he react to being reigned in by tough coaching from Mike Tomlin?
Three years ago, Rodgers would be worth the headache. The Steelers just spent a year invested in a geriatric quarterback who was coachable. Rodgers would be two steps forward and two steps back.
Amari Cooper wouldn’t be worth it for Pittsburgh
Last season, the bulk of the Steelers’ downfield passing attack was directed through George Pickens. As their only legit starting receiver, Pickens recorded almost 400 yards more than the Steelers second-leading wide receiver despite missing three games in December. It also made them predictable for secondaries. This offseason, they’re priority number one is to replenish their receiving corps.
Cooper has been an underrated receiver for nearly a decade, however, his half-season with the Buffalo Bills was largely uneventful. He doesn’t have a great physicality. He doesn’t possess great size or speed, but his route-running ability is undeniable. The greatest concern about Cooper is that he drops passes at a prolific rate.
Cooper has been a drop machine for years. But entering his 30s, the production can no longer disguise it. Last season, he finished second to former Browns teammate Jerry Jeudy in drops, while reeling in 44 catches for 547 yards in 14 games. For a receiver of Cooper’s purported caliber to fall off that precipitously should be a cause for concern. Tomlin has a history of buying low on talented players. However, this isn’t the offseason for the Steelers to play it safe. They need to take bold swings and the upside is too low for Cooper.
The uproar from Steelers Nation would be deafening if they passed on Cooper Kupp again, Davante Adams, Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf, and Chris Godwin among others, to sign a potential dud.
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