3:40pm: Dialogue between team and player continues in this case, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. She adds there is still no timeline in place for a decision to be made, so attention will remain focused on Pittsburgh’s draft moves (if any) under center.
12:02pm: Aaron Rodgers received an offer to start for the Steelers at free agency’s outset. That was more than six weeks ago. The future Hall of Fame quarterback has not determined if he will play in 2025, even as previous reports pointed to it. The Steelers are also not believed to be Rodgers’ first choice.
As the Vikings have stiff-armed the ex-Packers and Jets starter, while they wait to see if J.J. McCarthy can seize the Week 1 job, the Steelers still would provide a clear-cut path for Rodgers to remain a starter. The 41-year-old QB said last week, during his first Pat McAfee Show appearance since his Jets release, he would not attempt to dictate any draft move an interested team made. But the Steelers, after choosing Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon at No. 21, are still in dire need of a quarterback.
[RELATED: Some Among Steelers Souring On Rodgers Play?]
It would make sense if the team received some degree of assurance Rodgers would sign, but that still does not appear to be the case. The Steelers also are believed to have reached out for clarity before the draft, as The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports the team communicated with Rodgers this week in hopes he would give an answer at least 48 hours before the draft. The Steelers’ Harmon pick could be a sign the team received the answer it wanted, but considering how Rodgers has played his free agency so far, his top suitor may well remain in the dark.
The Steelers enter Day 2 of the draft without a second-round pick, having dealt it to the Seahawks for D.K. Metcalf. This limits the team’s chances to add one of the top remaining quarterbacks. Connections to Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart came out during the pre-draft process. Dart went to the Giants at No. 25, while Sanders remains on the board.
Although the Colorado QB’s stock has undeniably dipped since the Buffaloes’ season ended, it would still surprise if Sanders were available by the time the Steelers’ third-round pick (No. 83) went on the clock. That would put a trade-up into play, though an early Jalen Milroe connection emerged as well. The Steelers also did work on Quinn Ewers, Will Howard and Kyle McCord. Each member of trio may well be there by No. 83, though Milroe is not expected to fall that far. Pittsburgh adding Ewers, Howard or McCord, however, would call into question the team’s plan for 2025.
If Rodgers continues to pause a Steelers signing, the organization may be forced to act. Kirk Cousins has come up at multiple junctures for the AFC North team, but a roster with both he and Rodgers would not make sense. Cousins is not believed to be interested in waiving his no-trade clause for a team that adds a potential rookie starter.
The Steelers could attempt to thread the needle by adding a third-round QB or using a Day 3 pick on the position, keeping the door open for Cousins or Rodgers to accompany Mason Rudolph. But the team will run the risk of losing out altogether — depending on the Falcons’ decision (which still involves a team taking on a sizable chunk of Cousins’ money) and Rodgers’ retirement call. The Steelers are believed to want to make their QB draft investment this year or next, but they held off on Dart and Sanders last night, having been burned by a QB reach (for Kenny Pickett) recently.
While Mike Tomlin has said he would feel comfortable starting Rudolph, that probably should not even be considered Plan B for the Steelers. Cousins or a Day 2 rookie probably would be the team’s preferred starter, if Rodgers refuses to sign. Art Rooney II said the team is OK waiting on Rodgers and expressed confidence at the owners meetings Rodgers would sign. But this draft news does confirm some understandable impatience on the organization’s part. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers proceed tonight.
This is all a “smoke screen” as Rodgers will play for the Steelers. They just haven’t signed him because it influences draft strategies.
Very rarely do we see the Steelers going backwards, but they are clearly in a tailspin the past few years.
The name of the game is status quo – 9-8 or 10-7. They fear going backwards to go forwards. Just draft a QB and let the guy develop.
That idea is not in the in tomlins play book
Florio and Canty were saying today they were in touch with an insider close to Rodgers who said bypassing Sanders and not going after Cousins makes it impossible for Rodgers to say no
That Rodgers has no reason to decline
This is almost like a drama you’d see in high school courtships now. It’s completely ridiculous
They’re groveling to get this guy
I’ve been a Steelers fan since Noll took over and truly have never seen a more pathetic situation with this team.
They should trade back into the second for Sanders, especially if he falls past the Browns, Raiders, and Saints. His biggest downside is his lack of upside, but it’s not like Rodgers has MVP upside at this stage, and they would just need another QB answer soon. Might as well have the cost-controlled guy and an option for more than a year or two.
His biggest upside is that he played behind a similarly poor O-line at Colorado and did well
I would hope you’re right here, that they maneuver like they did to get Porter
But they seem committed to Rodgers which ordinarily would be questionable but at this stage is lunacy
I don’t believe the Browns or Saints will pass on Sanders if given the chance
I think most of the Steelers line could be pretty good (I don’t think Jones is ever going to be good at this point). As for Cleveland, we’ll know quickly if they want him.
I wish this diva would just retire and go away. Dude is a cancer and the LeBum of the NFL.
I’m literally unsure whether I’d rather laugh or cry by this point.
Aaron Rodgers please go away and let the NFL move on without your diva drama.
The fact that the Steelers would sign this old jerk even though no one outside their clueless head coach and GM think it makes sense is so hilarious that we can only hope they do sign him and he breaks his leg on the first play of the season
Man, F Rodgers. Seriously. Keep him and his toxic behavior and ego away from the Steelers franchise. It will not end well.
Prima Donna is making the steelers look like fools…of course tomlin makes the steelers look like even bigger fools
Sad days for steeler nation
As a long time Bears fan I’ve always been a Steelers fan as well. For many years going back to the days of the “Steel Curtain” and Bradshaw in the 70’s. But this show that’s going on with their QB situation and Rodgers is ridiculous. So ridiculous it’s really “Bear Like”.
To watch this draft and see a number of teams trading up, only to see the Steelers sit there and do nothing while guys like Sanders and Shough are available to them is ridiculous
They lost out on Schough. They’ll lose out on Sanders. All to appease a 41 year old has been
This is like rooting for the Pirates
The level of incompetence here is mind numbing
According to a report by Mike Florio..MORON Rodgers is going to sign with the steelers after the draft
Gonna be a long season with this idiot. Maybe he and tomlin can hold hands on thr sideline.
I just might tune them out this year