Steelers Biggest Winner of Aaron Rodgers Signing

The dust is still settling after the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers officially agreed on a one-year contract. Months of anticipation culminated in what many were confident would happen, and the Steelers now hope the 20-year NFL veteran can deliver a playoff win to Pittsburgh.

Now that the Steelers' QB room is cemented for the 2025 season, the focus shifts to what the surrounding offense will look like. The organization got the ball rolling when they acquired superstar wideout DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason and drafted future bellcow Kaleb Johnson to be the second running back on the depth chart. Some believe another move is essential to get the Steelers back into contention, but there's a player already on the roster that is poised to be the biggest winner in the Aaron Rodgers signing.

Wide receiver Calvin Austin III is in the best position of any offensive player in Pittsburgh entering the upcoming season. One factor is Austin's speed. The 26-year-old pass-catcher is one of the fastest players in the NFL, but the Steelers have failed to utilize it in his first few seasons. The team's inability to pass the ball over the middle directly impacted his production, with so much of his route tree putting him over the center of the field. When given a clean pocket, Rodgers has dominated the middle of the field, setting up the potential for homerun plays to become a commonality for Austin in 2025.

The addition of Rodgers brings one certainty: the ball is coming out quickly. Over his career, the former NFL MVP has consistently avoided sacks and made big plays by getting the ball out with efficiency. Even in a five-win 2024 season with the New York Jets, Rodgers maintained a completion percentage 63% with an average release time of under 2.5 seconds on 61% of his passing attempts.

Rodgers also loves to operate out of the 11 personnel. Going back to his time with the Green Bay Packers and his stint with the Jets, offenses with Rodgers tend to operate out of the 11 personnel most of the time. That bodes well for Austin. Despite averaging 13 yards per target in 2024, the Steelers frequently used two wide receiver sets that took Austin off the field. Three wide receiver sets are more likely with Rodgers on the field, giving Austin and Rodgers plenty of chances to link up.

If it all comes together, Austin's breakout season will happen in 2025. The Steelers' offense has to be significantly better than it was in 2024, and that means a true wide receiver 2 has to emerge. While a trade or signing is still possible, the stage is set for Calvin Austin to be the biggest winner of the Steelers' new starting quarterback.