The Pittsburgh Steelers are walking into 2026 with a nearly unrecognizable coaching staff and ten new draft picks in the building. But at the skill positions, the names haven’t changed. Aaron Rodgers, Jaylen Warren and DK Metcalf are back as the core of the offense — and CBS Sports isn’t sold on that group.
In its annual “triplets” rankings, which grade every team’s quarterback-running back-top pass catcher trio, CBS placed Pittsburgh’s group at No. 27 out of 32 teams. That’s two spots lower than where the Steelers landed a year ago.
Why CBS Downgraded the Steelers’ Offense
CBS Sports writer Jared Dubin didn’t mince words about Rodgers’ approach last season. “Rodgers again played extremely conservative football and essentially refused to get hit, firing short, quick passes all year long,” Dubin wrote.
That reputation lines up with the numbers. Rodgers posted a 6.37 average depth of target last season, according to SumerSports — one of the shallowest marks of his career and a clear signal he’s leaning on short, high-percentage throws rather than testing defenses down the field. For a soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback, that’s a calculated trade-off: fewer hits, fewer splash plays, and a passing offense that lives underneath the coverage instead of stretching it.
Warren still holds the lead role in Dubin’s eyes, even with Rico Dowdle sharing carries in the backfield. “Jaylen Warren will split reps with Dowdle, but we kept Warren in the lead role here because he’s the more versatile player,” Dubin wrote. Metcalf, meanwhile, drew skepticism about fit. Dubin noted that “Metcalf isn’t the best fit with Rodgers’ style of play,” pointing out the receiver posted the second-fewest yards per game of his career last season — a stat that reflects just how much Pittsburgh’s passing attack leaned away from vertical shots that would get the ball to Metcalf in space.
The gap between Pittsburgh and the next closest team was razor-thin. CBS had the Steelers in a near-dead heat with the Arizona Cardinals for the 26th spot, separated by only a fraction of a point across the panel’s voting.
Where the Steelers Sit Among AFC North Rivals
Pittsburgh’s ranking sits in stark contrast to the rest of its division. The Cincinnati Bengals, powered by Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, took the No. 1 overall spot. The Baltimore Ravens landed at No. 4, buoyed by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry even after an injury-shortened season for Jackson. The Cleveland Browns closed out the list at No. 32, reflecting a roster CBS views as firmly in rebuild mode.
| Team | 2026 Triplets Rank | QB / RB / WR |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | Joe Burrow / Chase Brown / Ja’Marr Chase |
| Baltimore Ravens | 4 | Lamar Jackson / Derrick Henry / Zay Flowers |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 27 | Aaron Rodgers / Jaylen Warren / DK Metcalf |
| Cleveland Browns | 32 | Shedeur Sanders / Quinshon Judkins / Harold Fannin Jr. |
What It Means Heading Into 2026
The Steelers are betting that new head coach Mike McCarthy can unlock more out of this group than the previous staff did. McCarthy has a track record of building efficient, top-tier NFL offenses, and Pittsburgh’s front office is counting on that experience to close the gap between where this trio ranks on paper and how it actually performs on Sundays.
None of this is set in stone. Rankings like these are built on last year’s tape and this offseason’s expectations — not what happens once pads start popping in training camp. If Rodgers finds more rhythm throwing downfield under a new system, or if Metcalf’s role shifts to fit the scheme better, Pittsburgh’s spot on this list could look very different by midseason.
For now, the Steelers enter 2026 with plenty to prove — and a national outlet that’s watching closely to see if this group can outplay its ranking.
