George Pickens is out, and suddenly the Steelers‘ moves are starting to look a lot more calculated than chaotic. Was it a chess move to lure Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh? Or did Mike Tomlin just run out of patience with Pickens’ sideline antics and locker room headaches? Tomlin stood by the wideout through plenty of drama last season. But maybe even he had his limit. Either way, that’s the Cowboys problem now.
But here’s the twist that’s catching everyone’s attention: Are the Steelers eyeing Allen Lazard from the Jets? It makes sense. Lazard isn’t just any receiver, he’s Rodgers’ guy. They’ve built chemistry in Green Bay and tried to recreate it in New York. So, if the Pickens trade was the breadcrumb, Lazard could be the next piece in what might just be Pittsburgh’s boldest offseason play yet. And just when the Lazard-to-Pittsburgh whispers were starting to sound somewhat reasonable, Steelers safety DeShon Elliott poured cold water all over it. And that too with just four words.
Elliott likely came across a post that read, “Jets WR Allen Lazard is in play to be traded to the #Steelers after they traded George Pickens to Dallas, per @ProFootballTalk.” And he couldn’t help himself. “He so a– lol,” Elliott’s comment, set the internet ablaze and possibly nuked any goodwill Lazard might’ve had in the Steel City before even arriving.
DeShon Elliot commenting on Allen Lazard #steelers pic.twitter.com/gTDi9YSlj3
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) May 8, 2025
Uh-oh. If Allen Lazard is flying to Pittsburgh, he’s already got one icy reception waiting for him, courtesy of DeShon Elliott. Allen’s trade rumors kicked off almost immediately after the George Pickens deal was finalized. The 29-year-old WR is in the final year of his contract with the Jets. And has followed a winding path through the league. Signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jaguars, Lazard joined the Packers in 2019. After playing with Rodgers and the Packers for five years, Allen eventually ended up with the Jets alongside Aaron.
And now, if the rumors are true, he could be reuniting with Rodgers yet again in Pittsburgh. Speaking of that, where have the talks between Rodgers and the Steelers reached so far?
Aaron Rodgers to make a decision after OTAs?
Mike Tomlin knows well what Aaron Rodgers has been up to lately. All the drama that happened when he was the Jets QB, and how he performed during the last two seasons. But mind you, Tomlin is the kind of coach who would bench Rodgers at the first sign of trouble if things started to go south. The thing is, the Steelers are in a tough position with their quarterback situation. After not getting one in the draft, Rodgers seems to be the best option available out there. He is better than Mason Rudolph, and Coach Tomlin knows this.
But where exactly do Rodgers and the Steelers stand right now? Well, it seems Rodgers is still planning to decide the team’s OTAs. It’s no surprise that the veteran QB is skipping OTAs; he did the same last year with the Jets, which contributed to his struggle to build chemistry with the receivers. Last season, Rodgers decided to vacation in Egypt while the Jets held their minicamp. This year, he seems to be following a similar pattern and plans to report after OTAs, as per ESPN’s Peter Schrager.
During a conversation on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, Schrager mentioned, “Aaron Rodgers has been very upfront with the Steelers, and he was very upfront with the Giants. The Steelers are willing to wait, and I don’t think Pittsburgh knows more now than they did before the draft.”
But, Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney wanted Rodgers to join the team’s offseason activities. During the draft, Rooney, while talking to the media, shared that they are hoping to hear from the veteran QB soon. “I do think we may get word soon, obviously, with things starting to crank up here with the offseason program, etc.,” Rooney said during the draft. “If he’s coming, we would like to get him here soon for some of that.“
Well, Pittsburgh has put all its hopes on Aaron Rodgers. That was evident enough when the team’s brass skipped picking a QB in the draft. Now, if Aaron chooses not to sign with them, it could leave them in trouble.
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