Some may say that OTAs and minicamp aren’t important for a 42-year old Aaron Rodgers entering his 22nd NFL season. Rodgers has never been high on offseason programs throughout his career. In what will be his last year as an NFL quarterback, he actually showed up earlier this season than last year, even if the wait felt endless.
Rodgers has familiarity with Mike McCarthy, meaning the two should be able to pick up where they left off. The biggest beneficiaries of Rodgers’ earlier return are the pass catchers who have extended work with their starting quarterback leading up to training camp. Consider DK Metcalf a fan.
“Last year, it was kind of a late start for everybody, but having him two weeks before mandatory [minicamp] means a lot. We can get a lot of reps under our belt,” D.K. Metcalf said via the team’s YouTube channel in speaking to the media after one OTA session. “We already know how he is on the field, in the classroom or in a teaching environment, but just the chemistry on the field.
“We can just take the next step.”
Mandatory minicamp will take place over three days from June 2-4 but Pittsburgh, but there are three more voluntary sessions before then. While there’s no guarantee that Rodgers will attend each one he is at least now under contract and in the building. The work with the offensive staff and his receivers can truly begin.
Last season, Rodgers signed on June 6 but was held out of all team periods in the remaining offseason practices. It wasn’t until training camp that Rodgers finally was able to get under with his new teammates, like Metcalf, in a team setting. This season, with new faces like Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard, extra reps could pay off.
Spending more than a decade in Green Bay with the same core coaching staff, Rodgers’ past several seasons have introduced new faces in new places. With the New York Jets, Nathaniel Hackett was Rodgers’ offensive coordinator for both seasons, but Rodgers only last a few plays in 2023 before his Achilles injury. In his first season with the Steelers, Arthur Smith was the offensive coordinator.
Now, he is reunited with McCarthy as play-caller and Brian Angelichio as offensive coordinator. Rodgers cited wanting refamiliarize himself to McCarthy’s offense as the reason he showed up to voluntary sessions. In turn, that could raise the level of the entire Steelers offense.
Metcalf stands to be one of the main beneficiaries of a revitalized Rodgers and more dangerous passing attack. Last season, Metcalf was the Steelers’ only true threat at the receiver position and the passing game struggled.
This year, not only have the weapons improved, but with Rodgers showing up earlier and an offensive minded coach, there’s plenty to be excited about on a Pittsburgh offense that has nowhere to go but up.
