Hurry up and wait.
That’s what the Pittsburgh Steelers are doing when it comes to Aaron Rodgers and his decision regarding his next NFL stop.
It might not be a comforting spot to be, awaiting a decision from a 41-year-old quarterback in free agency, but it’s where the Steelers find themselves. For ESPN’s Dan Graziano, if the Steelers truly have Rodgers as their top choice, they have no choice but to give the quarterback all the time and space he needs to come to a decision.
Appearing on ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike, Graziano stated that if the Steelers don’t give Rodgers his space, he might just tell them to look elsewhere, which could really put the Steelers in a bind.
“What choice do they have? I mean…if Aaron is your top choice and your second choice is Russell Wilson, are you that worried that someone else is gonna sign Russell Wilson? Like, these teams are sifting between plans D, E and F at this point,” Graziano said, according to audio via ESPN Radio. “If Aaron Rogers is far and away your top choice and knowing sort of how mercurial a personality he is, I think you have to give him the space to make this decision. Or else he might just tell you to pound sand.”
As Graziano laid out, the Steelers don’t really have a choice at this point when it comes to waiting on Rodgers. After missing out on Justin Fields and Sam Darnold in free agency, they’re in a tough spot at quarterback. Yes, they did well to make a move and add Mason Rudolph on a two-year deal Thursday, giving the quarterback room some experience and familiarity with Pittsburgh, but outside of that the Steelers are in a tough spot.
Other options outside of Rodgers include Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, Jameis Winston and Carson Wentz on the open market. None of those seem like great options for the Steelers. So, they have to wait on Rodgers.
Photos surfaced Wednesday of Rodgers on a beach in Malibu seemingly lost in thought, pondering his NFL future. That NFL future could consist of the Steelers, though the Giants are reportedly offering him more to sign with them. The Vikings situation is real here with Rodgers, too.
So, all the Steelers can do is sit back, trust their offer is good enough to Rodgers, and that they appeal to the future Hall of Fame quarterback. He’s an eccentric person who marches to the beat of his own drum. The Steelers seem to have an understanding of what they might be entering into business with, so it bodes well for them to give Rodgers time and space to make a decision — though not too much time.
