The 2025 NFL Draft is almost here, and Aaron Rodgers is still a free agent. It sounds like his decision might not come for a while. Rodgers made it clear that he’s dealing with some personal issues that require his full attention. That leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers between a rock and a hard place. They could wait for Rodgers, but there’s no guarantee he’ll join their team. If they decide to pass on him, the remaining quarterback options aren’t great. Despite that, former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker thinks the Steelers should move on from Rodgers.
“I just think every decision you make in life, there’s pros and cons, there’s upside, downside,” Tucker said recently on his podcast. “What are the pros of signing Rodgers at this point for the Steelers? What is the upside? Maybe they win a playoff? Maybe?
“It just seems like there’s a lot more cons and there’s a lot more downside, especially long term, than there is upside of signing Aaron Rodgers. I think the Steelers would be better off, if there’s a quarterback they like, taking them, giving them this year, to see whether or not they can be a solution for the Steelers moving forward.”
Tucker asks a good question. What are the pros and cons to the Steelers signing Rodgers, especially with it being unclear if he’s even going to return to football?
Rodgers is a controversial figure. While most of his former teammates have said good things about him, he’s still dealt with a lot of drama in recent years. The Steelers don’t need any more of that. They were enough of a mess to end the 2024 season.
Also, Rodgers is 41 years old. Last season, coming off of a torn Achilles, he looked like he had lost a step. Can he elevate the Steelers’ offense at this point in his career? Could he fit in Arthur Smith’s offense? If the Steelers sign Rodgers, they probably still won’t be Super Bowl contenders. Like Tucker says, they’d have a better shot at winning a postseason game, but even that wouldn’t be guaranteed.
However, a union between Rodgers and the Steelers likely wouldn’t be all bad. There are some pros to Pittsburgh adding him. For instance, he’s the best quarterback left on the free agent market, even if he isn’t the same player he once was. Rodgers gives the Steelers their best chance at being competitive this year.
Additionally, saying the Steelers would be better off drafting a quarterback is easier said than done. This looks like a weak quarterback class. Even if the Steelers land one of the top prospects, he might not be ready to start this year. There’s also no telling if any of the best quarterbacks will be available for the Steelers in the first round.
The best solution for the Steelers might be to reevaluate their position with Rodgers after the draft. If they draft a quarterback in the first round, maybe they’ll feel more comfortable dropping their pursuit of Rodgers. However, if they don’t, then their best course of action might be to continue waiting for Rodgers. Otherwise, the Steelers could be in for a long season.
