Everything centers on the quarterback position this offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers and whether it will be one of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, or an outside free agent such as Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, or even Aaron Rodgers.
With the New York Jets announcing they were going in a different direction from Rodgers last week, and likely to designate him as a post-June 1 cut, the Rodgers to the Steelers chatter has gotten louder.
For ESPN’s Adam Schefter though, who appeared on ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike Tuesday morning, that chatter doesn’t make sense, at least initially, because he doesn’t believe the Steelers are going to abandon talks with Wilson or Fields just to pursue Rodgers.
With that belief, Schefter is struggling to find an obvious fit for the former four-time NFL MVP who is 41 years old.
“Okay, so let’s just say that Pittsburgh is the obvious landing spot in our hypothetical conversation about Aaron Rodgers. So Pittsburgh now is willing to not discuss a deal with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields? It’s not gonna check in on Matthew Stafford if the Rams decide they’re gonna suddenly trade Matthew Stafford? It’s not going to look into any other quarterback that’s a free agent either? Sam Darnold, or whoever it may be. It’s not gonna consider any of those?” Schefter said regarding the Steelers as an obvious landing spot for Rodgers, according to audio via ESPN Radio. “They’re gonna say, ‘You know what? We believe Aaron Rodgers is better than all these alternatives right now we’re gonna to focus on him.’ I just don’t see that. Like, that’s not where this is at. To me, I could see Pittsburgh making some sense, but I don’t think Pittsburgh’s starting at search with Aaron Rogers. Could it wind up there? Yeah.
“Could it wind up on Aaron Rogers eventually? Yes. But I think there’s steps that have to be taken before you can get there, and I think that that’s true of any place right now. And that’s why it’s hard to give you a landing spot for Aaron Rodgers today when the market’s gonna be changing in the next few weeks, and there are gonna be a different set of circumstances.”
While the Steelers might eventually have some interest in Rodgers this offseason, it will depend on how things shake when it comes to players like Wilson and Fields and what their future looks like in the Steel City. Team owner and president Art Rooney II has already stated that his preference is to re-sign one of Wilson or Fields and that the Steelers would look to the draft in 2025 to add a quarterback as well.
If the Steelers are able to sign one of them before the start of free agency, Rodgers will be off the table.
But if both hit free agency and land elsewhere, then all bets are off.
For a 41-year-old quarterback coming off a poor season and bringing the off-the-field baggage from a media attention perspective, it’s hard to see the Steelers in their current state signing up for that, regardless of the name recognition Rodgers brings at the most important position in sports.
Rodgers is going to be talked about quite a bit this offseason as he searches for a new home, and he’s going to be connected to the Steelers at every possible turn. But Schefter is spot-on that he won’t be the focus for the Steelers right out of the gates. Pittsburgh’s attention could theoretically turn to Rodgers at some point, but the Steelers — for what it’s worth — aren’t an obvious landing spot for Rodgers.
