The Pittsburgh Steelers got a B for their offseason from Matt Okada, who singled out three moves as the most important: hiring Mike McCarthy, trading for WR Michael Pittman Jr. and signing CB Jamel Dean. It was a broad overhaul, but one built around the same uneasy idea that has followed Pittsburgh all summer — the roster got better in several places while the biggest question still sits at quarterback.
That is why the grade matters now. The Steelers are being judged on what they did before the season, not after it, and this evaluation puts a number on a plan that touched offense, defense and the trenches. Okada said the front office also traded for Michael Pittman Jr., signed RB Rico Dowdle and drafted OT Max Iheanachor and WR Germie Bernard to reinforce the offense, while the defense added Dean plus safeties Darnell Savage and Jaquan Brisker. The only group that stayed the same was inside linebacker, where Pittsburgh is counting on Patrick Graham and a stronger defensive line to bring out more.
The B grade placed Pittsburgh third in the AFC North, behind the Cleveland Browns at A-minus and the Cincinnati Bengals at B-plus, but ahead of the Baltimore Ravens at B-minus. That is a useful snapshot of how the rest of the division was viewed, yet it also shows how little room the Steelers had to separate themselves. Across the league, the Jacksonville Jaguars drew an F grade and the Tennessee Titans an A-plus, a reminder that offseason reviews can swing hard depending on how much a team changes and how much confidence it inspires.
The problem for Pittsburgh is that the evaluation never really escapes Aaron Rodgers. Okada said the 42-year-old quarterback may not have enough left in the tank to get the Steelers past the Wild Card Round for the first time in nine years, and his 6.0 ANY/A in 2025 finished just under the league average of 6.1. That is the friction point inside all the roster work: the Steelers improved around Rodgers, but they did not solve the one issue that most determines whether those upgrades matter in January.
There is also a reason Rodgers keeps getting pulled back into the conversation. Okada floated the idea that Pittsburgh hired McCarthy to help lure Rodgers back, and McCarthy's veteran resume and proven winning record were said to improve the odds. If that happens, the Steelers would not just be adding a familiar quarterback; they would be betting that the offseason work finally gives Rodgers enough support to make the rest of the roster count. If it does not, a B grade may still look generous when the same old quarterback doubt returns in the fall.
