Aaron Rodgers-Steelers Deal Tabbed 'Riskiest Move Of Offseason'

The New York Jets took quite a leap when they opted to cut veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, replacing him with the much younger Justin Fields.

A few months later, Rodgers would sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers as the last solid quarterback off the board in free agency. This seems like a dream pairing, especially given the circumstances.

Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently suggested the Rodgers to Pittsburgh move was one of the riskiest moves of the entire NFL offseason.

"Once the Steelers did that, they took a big risk by targeting Rodgers and waiting until right before minicamp to sign him," Knox wrote. "This is because the pairing is now one of the NFL's biggest storylines and will remain so throughout the season.

"In what could be a make-or-break season for the Steelers—who haven't won a playoff game since their 2016 campaign—that could become problematic. Had the Steelers drafted a rookie highly or gone with Mason Rudolph and sixth-round pick Will Howard at quarterback, expectations would be tempered. With Rodgers, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, anything short of a deep playoff run might be viewed as a failure."

Listing this as a risky decision for the Steelers doesn't make much sense.

The Steelers actively tried to re-sign Fields while also looking into other options at quarterback. They drafted Will Howard late in the NFL Draft, too. While Howard might not be a franchise signal caller, there were very few solid quarterbacks in the draft.

Ultimately, the Steelers got their guy, and they got him for cheap. If Rodgers fails this season, the Steelers will be able to draft a quarterback in 2026. But if he succeeds, Pittsburgh will look like geniuses.