It’s one thing to have quarterback questions, another entirely when Sports Illustrated puts your backup room near the NFL basement. The Steelers landed 26th in SI’s backup QB rankings—yep, 26th. And no, they didn’t even factor in rookie Will Howard. They just went with Mason Rudolph under the assumption that Aaron Rodgers will eventually join. On paper, that should’ve lifted spirits. Instead, it’s exposed just how far things still need to go. Rodgers is here, but this offense? It’s far from the liftoff fans were hoping for.

Training camp hasn’t exactly been a Rodgers revival. Even with the future Hall of Famer under center, the Steelers’ team is sputtering. Rodgers hasn’t mastered the system yet and admitted he’s aiming to get it down by the end of the week. That would explain the choppy timing and uneven chemistry in team drills. Meanwhile, Mason Rudolph isn’t exactly lighting it up either. Brian Batko dropped it on Twitter: “Interception alert: Miles Killebrew picks off Mason Rudolph.” The struggles aren’t isolated; they’re stacking.

And Will Howard? The rookie darling? He even had his “welcome to the league” moment. Batko summed it up best: “Will Howard just met the Wall of Iowa.” Logan Lee and Yahya Black batted down his passes like they were playing volleyball, not football. It’s not that Howard lacks upside; he does, but right now, even his flashes of promise are getting swallowed by growing pains. This QB group looks more like a project than a plan, and the season hasn’t even started yet.

What’s making it worse? The chaos around them. Thursday’s camp looked more like an UFC undercard than a team install. DK Metcalf and Chuck Clark were swinging fists, Jonnu Smith launched a football at Juan Thornhill, and Jalen Ramsey had to break up a fight like a veteran bouncer. Sprinkle in Roc Taylor and Calvin Austin jawing after a one-on-one drill, and you’ve got yourself a Steelers soap opera. Somewhere in there, actual football is happening… we think.

But amid the drama, the defense is thriving, and that’s part of the problem. Rookie Yahya Black batted down two more of Rudolph’s passes, and newcomer Brandin Echols snagged another pick in seven shots. “That’s a veteran guy, man,” Tomlin said of Echols, who’s been electric. While Rodgers works through a steep learning curve and the rest of the QB room battles inconsistency, the secondary is turning every rep into a statement. For now, the Steelers’ biggest strength might be proving just how rough things are on the other side, even though Rodgers seems to be struggling.

Aaron Rodgers struggles to sync with the offense.

Aaron Rodgers hasn’t quite found his groove in Steelers camp, and it’s starting to show. The offense, which was expected to form quickly with his experience, has looked scattered. Misfires on basic timing routes, trouble with snap exchanges, and inconsistencies from both Rodgers and his receiving corps have become a pattern. He went just 2-of-8 on a key series, and even those completions came under strange circumstances. It’s not panic mode, but for a quarterback known for precision, this level of misalignment isn’t trivial.

Rodgers’ struggle isn’t happening in a vacuum. The offensive line has been a revolving door, missing two starters, which has visibly disrupted protection and rhythm. Add to that a cloudy WR2 situation and a brand-new offensive scheme under Arthur Smith, a system that leans heavily on tight ends and play-action, and you’ve got a quarterback still figuring out where to go with the ball. One errant throw skipped off Jonnu Smith’s hands; another floated wide to a confused DK Metcalf. These aren’t just mechanical hiccups; they’re signs of unfamiliarity and lack of cohesion.

Head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t sounding any alarms yet. “We’re still at the very early stages of development,” he said, keeping his focus on long-term progress over short-term polish. That said, the tape doesn’t lie: Rodgers looks hesitant, the routes lack snap, and the offensive identity feels unformed. Training camp is built for these growing pains, but it’s clear Rodgers is adjusting more than expected. For now, the offense doesn’t look broken, but it doesn’t look ready.