Insider explains why the Steelers are content to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision

Gerry Dulac claimed that Aaron Rodgers' beef with the Jets brass hasn't altered the Steelers plans of signing him.

Insider explains why the Steelers are content to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision

Aaron Rodgers (Image via IMAGO)

There’s still clout surrounding Aaron Rodgers’ next move. Only three teams showed interest in the 41-year-old quarterback. Out of those three, the Pittsburgh Steelers remain the favorites to sign Rodgers.

After going off the grid for a time, Rodgers resurfaced on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week. On the show, the Super Bowl winner spoke about his unpleasant final meeting with the Jets brass.

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Rodgers called out the Jets’ new head coach, Aaron Glenn, for not showing any interest in speaking with him about an extension, even though he traveled across the country to meet him.

A section of the Steelers fans wasn’t very happy to hear Rodgers linked with their club. A poll put out by NBC’s Pro Football Talk suggested that the fans would rather see Mason Rudolph start for the Steelers and the Steelers either take a rookie or sign a veteran other than Aaron Rodgers.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac claimed the situation remains as it was before Rodgers’ interview with McAfee.

Rich [Eisen], anything that Aaron Rodgers said is no different than what the Steelers have known all along. I think the only caveat publicly stated was the personal issues that he has in his life—is he considering retirement? Maybe he told the Steelers about the personal issues too. But in terms of him taking his time, they’ve known that all along… [Rodgers] told [the Steelers] that he’s gonna take his time.

Gerry Dulac said on a segment of this week’s The Rich Eisen Show

The Steelers’ owner, Art Rooney, is ready to wait for the Super Bowl winner to make up his mind. However, there’s a limit to the waiting period. They lost out on several good alternatives, such as Jameis Winston, Russell Wilson, and Joe Flacco, while waiting for Rodgers.

A one-year deal is on the table, and Rodgers has publicly stated that he is ready to play on the veteran minimum.

It’s not about the money. I will play for $10 million. I never said that I need a multi-million [or] multi-year deal [and] I told every single one of the teams it’s not about the money.

Aaron Rodgers said

The Steelers will sign a veteran quarterback, and it doesn’t have to be Aaron Rodgers

All signs point to Rodgers dragging the talks beyond the draft next week. In the meantime, the Steelers have the leverage to draft a rookie quarterback to add depth to the roster that includes Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. According to reports, the Steelers like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart very much.

Insider explains why the Steelers are content to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision
Aaron Rodgers (Image via IMAGO)

Yet the tricky part is the Steelers own the 21st pick, which slots right in the middle of the draft order. So, GM Omar Khan and HC Mike Tomlin have to play 3D chess while every other NFL team deals in checkers.

Sanders is a top 10 prospect, and the Steelers have to trade up or pray for a slide to select the ex-Colorado man. Dart, on the other hand, is a comfortable late first- to early second-rounder.

Dulac believes the Steelers will draft a quarterback, just not as early as everyone is hoping for.

I think that they will come out of the draft with a quarterback, and because they don’t have a number two pick… but I can tell you that they are not sitting here thinking we need to get the number two pick back. They are content with looking at DK Metcalf as their second-round draft pick.

Gerry Dulac said

On the flip side, the Steelers also have the option to avoid taking any quarterbacks early and fix their running back issue. Dulac didn’t rule out the possibility of selecting another wide receiver either.

Dulac further added that the Steelers will end up taking a veteran quarterback. A quarterback room of Rudolph, Thompson, and a rookie isn’t a safe option to push for a playoff spot.

Eisen threw in Kirk Cousins‘ name in the mix.

[Kirk Cousins] sits in the number two spot in Atlanta, and we all know he doesn’t wanna be there. The irony of Arthur Smith getting a quarterback from Atlanta would be rich.

Rich Eisen suggested

Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal. The Falcons have already paid him more than $100 million to sit on the bench behind rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins wants first-team football, and the Falcons aren’t opposed to it.

Dulac sees a world where the Steelers sign Cousins, but they would have their reservations about the sort of compensation they send to the Falcons.

The Steelers are certainly not going to invest a lot, in terms of maybe draft capital, to get Kirk Cousins… That would be a possibility. It think it would be somewhere between possible and slim.

Gerry Dulac said

In the end, the entire chapter is balanced on the palms of Aaron Rodgers. His words will decide the futures of several athletes and the Steelers themselves unless the franchise drops pursuing the 4x NFL MVP.

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