The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most active teams in the NFL this off-season. They traded for DK Metcalf, signed Darius Slay, and of course added Aaron Rodgers to the mix, all before Monday’s blockbuster trade that brought in Jalen Ramsey. The moves all confirm that the team is in win-now mode, and are likely trying to maximize what could be a very short Super Bowl window.
Steelers Trading Youth For Experience This Offseason
The timeline essentially revolves around Rodgers. There have been questions over the past few years about how many seasons the four-time MVP might have left in the tank. But he showed some positive signs of life during the latter half of the 2024 NFL season, when he was one of the most productive passers in the league, which enabled him to extend his career yet again.
ESPN sources: Steelers traded three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins in exchange for three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
The rare player-for-player trade, and another trade.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 30, 2025
So when Rodgers was released by the New York Jets, there was a small handful of teams that showed interest in bringing in the 41-year-old. He ended up choosing the Steelers after a drawn out decision process, which represented a serious upgrade from the other quarterbacks on the team’s roster.
The clock is ticking on Aaron Rodgers’ career, and it is widely believed that 2025 will be his final season in the NFL.
The Steelers apparently know it, too. In the Ramsey trade, Pittsburgh shipped off Minkah Fitzpatrick, the three-time All-Pro who is 28 years old and under contract for two more seasons. They did so in order to bring in not only Ramsey (almost 31 years old), but also tight end Jonnu Smith (same age), who qualified for the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career last season.
Does Pittsburgh Have Any Shot At Competing In 2025?
In just the past few weeks, Pittsburgh has added three players with a combined 37 years of NFL experience. Add that to the fact that they signed Darius Slay (34 years old) and Robert Woods (33), and it becomes obvious that the team has no interest in getting younger.
Only more experienced. They’ve clearly moved all of their chips into the middle of the table, and are looking to win now with their current core and new additions.
2025 Pittsburgh Steelers pic.twitter.com/hPkIc79joc
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) June 30, 2025
Does the current roster have any chance of competing for a championship? They’d have to get through a brutal AFC North first in order to have a shot, and the Ravens and Bengals are looking to have big seasons in 2025. Much of the potential success hinges on what Aaron Rodgers is able to bring to the table, and whether he can regain any kind of MVP form at his advancing age.
The Super Bowl odds for the Steelers didn’t budge a bit after the Ramsey/Fitzpatrick trade. They were listed at +3500 by DraftKings on Sunday, and that number remains the same on Monday afternoon. They are the 15th-shortest odds of any NFL team, tied with the Houston Texans.
