Aaron Rodgers told The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that he looks forward to sharing his knowledge with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster. Everybody stands to benefit in one way or another, but which group of players might be the biggest winners in the 2025 season? Former GM Doug Whaley thinks the offensive line is set up for a big step forward with the four-time NFL MVP.
“I’m gonna go offensive line,” Whaley said when asked who will benefit the most on 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show. “Just because of his ability to dissect what the defense is trying to do to the offense and where to be able to pinpoint the open areas quickly and be able to get the ball out quickly, be bale to check into the right plays.”
I wrote about this shortly after Rodgers signed with the team. I fully agree with Whaley’s assessment and think the offensive line is due for a big step forward. Some of that will be their young players’ natural progression with another year of experience and cohesion under their belts, but Rodgers getting rid of the ball quickly and elite pre-snap checks at the line of scrimmage will make the line look even better.
Justin Fields and even Russell Wilson were able to mask some of the offensive line’s deficiencies in pass protection last year because of their mobility. They could run away from pressure and make plays outside of the pocket. Some think that adding a less mobile quarterback in the 41-year-old Rodgers will have the opposite effect and exacerbate the issues in pass protection. But his quick processing will do more to help the o-line than the extra half second bought by escaping the pocket.
Fields took 3.04 seconds on average to get rid of the ball last season, according to Next Gen Stats. Wilson took 2.86 seconds. Both were in the slower half of quarterbacks last season. Meanwhile, Rodgers got rid of it in 2.69 seconds as one of the fastest in the league. That extra time can be the difference between a completion or a throwaway, or between a sack and just a pressure. The linemen don’t have to hold onto their blocks for as long anymore, and they know what to expect with Rodgers unlikely to bail out of the pocket and get outside the structure of the play too often.
If you wanted to highlight one player who might benefit the most, C Zach Frazier would be at the top of the list. He is the communication hub of the line being in the middle, and Rodgers’ insight will go a long way toward helping him identify what the defense wants to do.
He spoke about this in his introductory press conference.
“I know how to get us in the right spot based on what’s called,” Rodgers said via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “There’s two or three plays called in the huddle sometimes; my job’s to get us in the right play.”
His ability to put the offense in the best situation as often as possible will set up the linemen for success. There will be less situations where pass rushers are getting through untouched, or where they are running into a stacked box with very little chance of success.
“Overall, I think it’s gonna look like a more fluid offense just because of his intelligence and been there, done that,” Whaley said. “think the offensive line is gonna look a lot better.”
The Steelers are counting on the young o-line to take a step forward after all the recent investments, including two of their last three first-round picks. Rodgers gives them the best chance to take the next step in 2025, putting them in a great spot to handle whatever lies ahead at the quarterback position in 2026 with a young and inexperienced signal caller.
