Watt in a contract standoff with Steelers
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Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5 NFL Offseason Moves That Teams Will Regret
Training camp for the National Football League has arrived with all 32 teams reporting for summer practices ahead of another exciting season. Many of the NFL offseason moves made this spring will catapult teams forward and shape their futures for the better. For some clubs, though, they'll end up regretting what they did. Let's dive into our list of the five NFL offseason moves these teams will regret most this year. Pittsburgh Steelers: Going all-in on Aaron Rodgers The Pittsburgh Steelers committed to quarterback Aaron Rodgers early this offseason, even as he held out hope that the Minnesota Vikings would consider him. Once joining Minnesota was off the table, Rodgers still left Pittsburgh waiting until the second week of June. Now, the Steelers are going all in on a 41-year-old quarterback. Rodgers finished last season ranked 21st in On-Target rate (75.5 percent), 22nd in EPA per Play (0.059) and and 18th in completion rate (45.4 percent) when pressured. He has also earned a reputation for having issues with wide receivers who freelance, which DK Metcalf is known for. Rodgers has lost the battle to Father Time, and he'll be a below-average quarterback in 2025. Making things worse for Pittsburgh, his regular appearances on The Pat McAfee Show could become an added distraction for a team that is likely to fall short of expectations this fall. Read More: New York Giants: Not firing Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll If change is inevitable, prolonging it another year doesn't make much sense. Brian Daboll has delivered a 9-25 record over the last two seasons and has clearly alienated several of his now-former assistant coaches. Yet, somehow, New York Giants owner John Mara decided to keep Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. Not only that, he allowed them to trade up in Round 1 to select quarterback Jaxson Dart. Given how difficult the Giants' schedule is in 2025, even winning six games seems like a long shot. So, New York will likely be right back in this spot again come January, which could result in a new regime either getting stuck with Dart for a full season or the franchise having to admit it wasted a first-round pick just one year after making it. Related: New Orleans Saints: Refusing to rebuild New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis refuses to rebuild and is essentially treated by ownership as if he is irreplaceable. That's despite the fact that the Saints haven't made the playoffs in four seasons and have just one postseason win since January 14, 2019. Loomis has built one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and his refusal to hit the reset button has created the worst cap situation in the league. He doubled down on that this year, overpaying Chase Young, signing Justin Reid, and using a top-40 pick on 26-year-old rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. Most general managers would've been fired by now, but Loomis continues to stick around and remains adamantly opposed to thinking about the future at all. Green Bay Packers: Releasing Jaire Alexander This isn't a knock on the Green Bay Packers for not trading Jaire Alexander. After all, the All-Pro cornerback refused to renegotiate a contract that would have facilitated a trade. Instead, we believe Green Bay will live to regret its decision not to simply find a financial resolution with Alexander. He reportedly would have taken the deal he signed with the Baltimore Ravens to remain in Green Bay. The Packers' front office decided to roll the dice with Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine as its top outside corners in 2025, and there's very little depth behind them. When injury strikes the Packers' secondary—which feels unavoidable—Green Bay will regret cutting Alexander. Related: Cincinnati Bengals: Not extending Trey Hendrickson If the Cincinnati Bengals can't put their hubris aside in contract talks with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, then that takes the spot on our list. For now, though, we expect there to be a resolution this summer. The same can't be said for a Trey Hendrickson contract extension. The All-Pro edge rusher means everything to this defense, yet the Bengals' front office is handling negotiations as if Hendrickson is expendable. What makes the situation worse is that the Defensive Player of the Year candidate has made it very clear he'll sit out multiple regular-season games if a deal isn't in place by Week 1. The bet here is that he follows through on that, and that would be devastating for a team that has little margin for error to make the playoffs. Related Headlines MLB Rumors: New York Yankees Eyeing 3 Diamondbacks Players, Fallback Plan at 3B NASCAR Xfinity results: BetRivers 200 winner, full NASCAR Xfinity Series stage results Richard Jefferson Reveals Why It 'Sucks' to be Teammates with LeBron James NBA Rumors: New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings Eyeing All-Star Guard
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Steelers countdown to kickoff — No. 49: a history of the number and who wore it best
The Steelers countdown to kickoff is here — and we're at 49 days until Pittsburgh faces off against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. In the spirit of the countdown, we're taking a look at the history of No. 49 and the players who wore it best. Current Steelers No. 49 wearer: LB Jeremiah Moon Moon currently wears No. 49 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Signing with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Moon spent most of his time on Baltimore's practice squad until he was waived on January 25, 2024. The Steelers claimed him off waivers one day later — where he ultimately become a solid contributor on special teams. He re-signed with Pittsburgh on a one-year deal last March and looks to compete at training camp for a spot on the 53-man roster. Last five Steelers to wear No. 49: Best No. 49 in Steelers history: DB Dwayne Woodruff Dwayne Woodruff is the best Steeler to ever wear No. 49. Drafted by Pittsburgh with the 161st overall pick in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft, Woodruff had a consistent and productive career in the Steel City. He played in 157 games for Pittsburgh — starting in 105 of them — and his 37 career interceptions rank fifth on the Steelers' all-time list. A pivotal member of the Steelers' Super Bowl XIV championship roster, his overall elite play and AFC-leading five interceptions earned him team MVP honors in 1982. One of the most underrated defensive backs in franchise history, there is no greater wearer of No. 49 than Woodruff. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
5 position battles to watch at Steelers training camp
With just a few days until the Steelers report to training camp on July 23, fans have several positional battles across offense, defense, and special teams to look forward to. Here are the five biggest starting roles up for grabs in Latrobe this summer. Long snapper Although not the flashiest position in the NFL, Steelers starting LS Christian Kuntz will attempt to fend off journeyman LS Tucker Addington — who signed with Pittsburgh in June. Free safety While all signs point to FS Juan Thornhill as the go-to replacement for ex-Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, an undrafted rookie could push the two-time Super Bowl champion for the starting role — none other than standout Iowa Hawkeye DB Sebastian Castro. Fullback Hybrid player Connor Heyward may have hinted at a full-time switch to fullback this offseason — but he first needs to beat out undrafted rookie FB DJ Thomas-Jones, a sleeper to make the 53-man roster. Punter After Steelers starting punter Cameron Johnston suffered a season-ending knee injury last season, Corliss Waitman stepped up in a big way for Pittsburgh. Only one punter will remain in the Steel City — but whether it's the now-healthy Johnston or the talented Waitman who takes the role remains to be seen. Running back Jaylen Warren's time to shine as the Steelers' lead rusher could be in jeopardy — as Pittsburgh drafted one of 2024's best college running backs in Kaleb Johnson. Training camp will serve as the first of many battles to decide whether or not Warren can fend off the rookie third-rounder — and a strong outing in Latrobe could decide the fate of the starting running back position. 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: Steelers training camp: 5 starting spots up for grabs in Latrobe
