PITTSBURGH — Michael Pittman Jr. hasn’t yet felt the brunt of Aaron Rodgers’ perfectionist mentality. But the veteran receiver has watched enough games to know that if he’s not exactly where Rodgers wants him to be, exactly when Rodgers wants him to be there…“He’s going to tell you,” Pittman said, with a smile.You sound like you’re speaking from experience?“No, no, no,” Pittman laughed. “It didn’t happen to me specifically yet, but I’ve seen it from watching games. He’s just a super (veteran) quarterback, so he knows what he likes and what he doesn’t like. You guys watched him play. If you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do, he’s going to let you know — which is good. I think it’s good to have that leadership.”That’s also why it’s so good that Rodgers officially signed his contract on Monday, in time to be at new coach Mike McCarthy’s first OTA. It seems obvious that a new head coach should want the leaders of his offense in attendance as a new offense is installed in a new city — especially after what happened last year between Rodgers and his pass-catchers.On several instances last season, Rodgers and his receivers were not on the same page. Perhaps the best example came in Week 11: Rodgers broke his wrist after absorbing a blow in the red zone. Even before he went to the sideline to get medical attention, he ran into the end zone and got in Roman Wilson’s face to tell him (quite loudly) what he did wrong. Two weeks later, the Steelers made the then-second-year receiver a healthy scratch, replacing him with soon-to-be-retired Adam Thielen and Rodgers’s old friend, Marquez Valdes-Scantling.The more Rodgers can iron out those details now, the better. That’s especially true with a revamped receiving corps. Behind DK Metcalf, the wideouts collectively have caught just 16 passes from Rodgers.The four-time MVP himself may not necessarily need more unpadded practices in Year 22 for his own good. But his teammates absolutely need him there. That’s the only way Wilson is going to avoid another lost season like last year, when he tumbled down the depth chart and off the game-day roster. It’s the only way second-round pick Germie Bernard is going to produce as a rookie with a quarterback who demands precision. It’s the only way Pittman is going to form early chemistry with his quarterback and become the WR2 threat that’s been missing in this offense.While the way this offseason played out was unnecessarily dramatic — partially because of Rodgers’s own inaction and partially because GM Omar Khan appeared to set up misguided expectations when he told his fans that it wouldn’t unfold like last year. That part is over now. The important thing is Rodgers is here, working with teammates and beginning to build connections.
Why Aaron Rodgers showing up to OTAs matters more than ever: Steelers notebook
Plus, the QB2 battle is underway, and the first look at the offensive line at the first practice of OTAs.















