Joe Starkey: Aaron Rodgers is Steelers MVP. Double down and get him another target.

Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Oct 23, 2025

Published in Football

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PITTSBURGH — Here's a new topic: Do the Steelers need a No. 2 receiver?

Actually, it is a new topic, at least in this sense: The Steelers defense cannot be trusted, thus making it imperative they double down on offense.

I'm still in shock Mike Tomlin saw fit Tuesday to point out that his defense made a "necessary stop" late in the Bengals debacle.

Pop the champagne!

The Steelers made a stop!

Unfortunately, it was their only stop on the Bengals' final eight possessions. When they really needed one, protecting a 31-30 lead with 2:20 left, they had one of their patented communications breakdowns on the first play and allowed Ja'Marr "23 Targets" Chase to break so wide open that no defender appeared on the television screen with him.

That kind of problem goes back a ways. Why is it the Steelers cannot get lined up properly? It can't be that hard. Are they communicating in Gaelic? Mandarin?

Sanskrit?

Anyway, this unit could play lights out against Green Bay and still not be trustworthy. There have been too many big-game failures, too many catastrophic breakdowns to believe they are suddenly going to get it together and achieve consistent greatness.

Offense is the strength of this team. Reinforce your strength. Fortify it. Put yourself in position to outscore the Bills, Colts, Chiefs or Patriots if necessary. Give your best player another weapon.

Heading into a spicy matchup against his former team — Steelers-Packers is one the highest-profile Steelers games in a decade — Aaron Rodgers has established himself as the team MVP. He's on pace to throw 40 touchdown passes, which would smash Ben Roethlisberger's team record of 34.

This offense is on an upward trajectory. The line is young and improving. The running game is following suit. Pat Freiermuth is alive! And Rodgers is winging it.

So instead of trying to turn every game into a one-score mud fest and depend on his allegedly elite defense, Tomlin must alter his philosophy.

Given the situation at hand, it boils down to two words: Outscore people.

It wasn't long ago that I agreed with Roethlisberger, who considers the idea of adding a receiver a luxury. Nice idea, but with this defense, was it really necessary?

"What is your goal of getting a second receiver?" Roethlisberger asked on his "Footbahlin'" podcast. "It feels like we're scoring 30 points a game. ... Do you want 300-plus yards passing, or do you want a consistent offense that is scoring points, that is balanced?"

He added, "Right now, offense doesn't seem to be the issue."

I have come to believe that is precisely the point. The offense is good; make it great. And know this: Adding another weapon wouldn't be for "right now" as much as for possible future situations, like when you need another boundary receiver to threaten teams.

You might need that against a good defense in the playoffs, assuming you get there. You might need it more against a rotten defense. Imagine if the Buffalo Bills came here wild card weekend with Josh Allen, which would be the case if the season ended today. Do you think this defense is stopping him? I don't. But the Bills defense is broken beyond repair, just waiting to be exploited.

Roethlisberger finished with this: "Would another receiver be helpful right now? Yeah, but it's not like we're throwing the ball all over the field."

Again, it's not about "right now." There will come a day. And Rodgers has thrown it at least 30 times in four of six games, spreading the ball around.

Calvin Austin III could return Sunday, which is good news. Who should the Steelers be targeting beyond him? Well, I'd make calls on the big guys — A.J. Brown and Jaylen Waddle — and I'd be dangling Alex Highsmith and others to the Eagles for Brown, but both are probably pipe dreams.

The next best option would appear to be Las Vegas Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers, who was asked Tuesday if he is standing firm on his trade request.

Unlike the Steelers defense, Meyers' communications skills are crystal clear.

"Oh, for sure," he said.

Good. So make it happen. This is a versatile, dependable receiver who can play inside or outside. He had 87 catches for over 1,000 yards last season. Beyond providing the Steelers with DK Metcalf insurance, he'd be a player for whom defenses must account.

Ex-NFL player Bucky Brooks wrote this about Meyers when he joined the Raiders: "He's a savvy pass-catcher with the IQ, awareness and instincts to thrive as a complementary pass-catcher in a versatile, ball-controlled passing game. [He will] thrive in a system that features pre-snap adjustments and post-snap reads."

In other words, perfect for Rodgers. Roethlisberger was a little off on his numbers, by the way: The Steelers aren't averaging 30 points per game. They're not even in the top 10 at 25.0. But they'll probably need to be if they want to do anything important this season.

Sadly, you just can't trust this defense.

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