Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have their starting quarterback, they’re sights are set on competing for a Super Bowl this season. Aaron Rodgers said he plans on retiring after this year, so he has a chance to end his career on a high note. The Steelers added a lot of pieces to their offense in order to better support Rodgers, too. That includes trading for Michael Pittman Jr. to fill their No. 2 receiver spot. While Pittman is a solid veteran wideout, Bill Barnwell questions if he actually fixes any of Pittsburgh’s offensive problems.

“It’s a good fit for Aaron Rodgers,” Barnwell said recently on ESPN’s NFL Live. “I don’t know that it’s a good fit for the Steelers’ offense… Aaron Rodgers last year threw the shortest average pass of anybody in football, the only guy under six air yards per attempt a year ago. Michael Pittman, 61st out of 68 qualifying receivers in terms of air yards per target.

“So, a guy who is catching underneath throws from a quarterback who throws a lot of underneath passes. That’s a good fit, but what the Steelers really needed is an explosive downfield player. They were 30th last year in explosive play rate on drop backs…I don’t know if Pittman is a great fit for the Steelers’ offense and what they needed.”

Barnwell is correct that the Steelers’ offense wasn’t explosive enough last year, and they didn’t really add a piece to solve that problem. Pittman isn’t a downfield threat, and that isn’t rookie Germie Bernard’s strength, either.

However, Pittman could still help the Steelers’ offense become more dynamic. His presence could open things up more for DK Metcalf. He’s got a great combination of size and speed, but the Steelers often couldn’t take advantage of that last year because defenses gave Metcalf a lot of attention.

Still, there were flashes of Metcalf’s dangerous vertical ability. Pittman should give Rodgers a reliable target underneath, allowing Metcalf more freedom to work downfield.

Pittman being a good fit for Rodgers should make him a good fit for the Steelers’ offense. If he doesn’t click with the veteran quarterback, then what’s the point in having him? Rodgers gets the ball out quickly at this point in his career. A deep threat would’ve been nice, but Rodgers isn’t the same player he was 10 years ago. His arm is still strong, but his athleticism has eroded, leaving him more vulnerable.

The Steelers needed to give Rodgers another reliable receiver to target. Pittman is consistent, recording at least 700 receiving yards in each of the last five seasons. He should play a vital role in the Steelers’ offense, and perhaps someone else will step up and create explosive plays.