10. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
At this stage of his NFL career, it's pretty clear that Aaron Rodgers kind of just, is what he is.
And that's not meant to carry negative connotation, although it sort of inherently feels like it. Rodgers is a grizzled veteran who will not see anything this season that he hasn't already seen at some point in his 20-plus NFL seasons. He has a familiar face at head coach this year in Mike McCarthy, but it says a lot that Rodgers was the quarterback of the Steelers during the season right before they fired longtime head coach Mike Tomlin.
The question here is -- do we really think Rodgers can be that much better than he was last year? Again, it just feels like he is what he is at this point. He isn't the MVP he once was, but he's going to take care of the ball and be solid.
9. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
The decline of CJ Stroud since his rookie year in 2023 has to be studied. When Stroud was a rookie with the Texans, he threw for over 4,000 yards and had 23 touchdowns compared to just 5 interceptions. He played at a borderline MVP level for the Texans that year, and his season wasn't just romanticized because the Texans had serious struggles before getting him.
In the two years that have followed, Stroud has not exactly been the tide to raise all boats in the harbor for the Texans, and that offense has needed him to be. Now, he's entering a crucial year with his long-term contract situation hanging in the balance.
His performance in the playoffs last year didn't exactly inspire confidence, but the talent is there for Stroud, and so is the support from that elite defense.
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