OTAs are almost here, and Aaron Rodgers still isn’t a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This process has dragged on for longer than most people likely anticipated. However, Rodgers stated that he wasn’t committed to anything, being focused on a personal issue. He didn’t rule out retirement, either.
If the Steelers miss out on Rodgers, they don’t have many other great options to add to their quarterback room. Trading for Kirk Cousins is a possibility, but former NFL general manager Ran Carthon thinks that might be tougher than signing Rodgers.
“As crazy as this might sound, it may be easier to sign Aaron Rodgers at this point than get something done with Kirk Cousins,” Carthon said Monday on CBS Sports HQ. “Because you have to take into account you have to meet Atlanta’s trade value in what they’re probably looking for in terms of compensation there. But then, you also have to be able to fit Kirk Cousin’s cap number under your cap.
“That’s another dynamic that you have to work through because now are you asking Atlanta to take on a portion of that salary?” Carthon added. “And if so, then that’s gonna increase the compensation for the draft, and are you willing to do that? Are you willing to eat the high cap number that he carries?”
With how the Rodgers saga has gone in Pittsburgh, some fans might not believe what Carthon is saying. At times, getting an update on Rodgers has felt like pulling teeth. While it seems very likely that he’ll sign with the Steelers, that’s not guaranteed.
It’s also unclear how effective Rodgers can still be. Last year, he took a noticeable step back, but his arm still looked strong. Another year removed from tearing his Achilles might do him some good, too. Cousins suffered that same injury in 2023, but in 2024, he looked like he’d taken an even bigger step back than Rodgers.
Rodgers is probably still a better player than Cousins. Also, as Carthon points out, trading for Cousins could be complicated. Last offseason, he signed a massive deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He still has three years left on that contract. Unless the Falcons are willing to eat a lot of that money, trading for Cousins probably doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Steelers.
Just as well, it’s uncertain what the Falcons’ asking price for Cousins is. The veteran quarterback isn’t worth high-value draft capital at this point in his career. However, maybe the Falcons would increase their asking price if they’re eating a lot of money on his deal.
In the 2026 draft, the Steelers are scheduled to have a surplus of draft capital. Therefore, they could probably sacrifice a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick for Cousins. Would they want to do that, though? It feels like the Steelers are trying to set themselves up to make a move to trade up for a quarterback in the first-round next year. The more draft capital they have, the easier that should be.
If they miss out on Rodgers, the Steelers might seriously consider trading for Cousins. However, they’ve also stated that they’re comfortable with Mason Rudolph starting. It might not inspire a ton of confidence in the fanbase, but Pittsburgh could opt to stick with Rudolph rather than trade for Cousins. In the long run, if they can’t sign Rodgers, that might be the better move.
