It took three months, but the Pittsburgh Steelers made their biggest signing of the offseason. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers will play (presumably) his final season in Western Pennsylvania, hoping to find the Steelers their first playoff win since 2016.
Rodgers makes the Steelers better, but he won’t make up for all of their flaws, especially on the boundary. He’s not creating big plays with his legs or making the throws that defined his prime. As such, he’ll be relying on his supporting cast as much as they’ll be leaning on him, and they’ll be doing so with one above-average receiver.
After trading for Seattle Seahawks star receiver DK Metcalf and then dealing George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh is back to where it began the offseason on the perimeter. On Thursday, veteran receiver Gabe Davis visited the facility in hopes of finding a spot in the passing offense.
He left without a deal.
While that doesn’t necessarily mean he is removed from the team’s plans, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly set the expectation for a potential Gabe Davis signing. In short, he won’t count on Davis being the late addition to the receiving corps.
“I don’t think it will be Gabe Davis,” Kaboly said on “Kaboly + Mack.” “I just got the feeling when I was there, and people were talking the other day. He just came in for a visit. A complementary visit like a mint on your pillow.”
Pittsburgh could still add a receiver. Veterans like Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen remained unsigned; several depth targets are available, too.
Davis’ big-play ability could be enticing for an offense that lacks potency outside of Metcalf. Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, and Ben Skowronek are competing for boundary roles, and Davis, at his best, would add a downfield threat to that rotation.
However, he was released just one season into a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, tagged with a failed physical designation. His torn meniscus is complicating his free agency.
“Maybe they were just trying to give him the once-over because of that knee,” Kaboly said. “I don’t know how aggressive they were in trying to sign him. I think they move on from Gabe Davis. I don’t think we will hear from him again.”
Given the need at receiver, it’s no surprise Pittsburgh gave Davis a look. But if he’s not fully healthy, there’s little reason for the Steelers to be interested, especially as Rodgers’ preferences play into their late-offseason strategy.
