Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Believe They’re Still In The Running For Aaron Rodgers

March 19th, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Ben Levine

The Aaron Rodgers saga continues, as we heard this morning that the Vikings were likely exiting the sweepstakes. This news followed a report from last weekend that the free agent quarterback may only be considering two options: the Vikings or retirement. Still, both the Steelers and Giants loomed as suitors, and it sounds like at least one of those teams is still under consideration.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers have not been told that they’re out of the running for Rodgers. Dulac notes that the organization will “continue to wait” on the QB, although there’s “no specific time set for a decision.”

While Rodgers’ prolonged stay in free agency is slightly holding up the QB market, that’s apparently not a concern for the Stelers front office. Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports writes that the organization is “fine waiting” for a decision, and the team is confident that money won’t be an issue if Rodgers ultimately opts for Pittsburgh.

While there might not be any urgency for the Steelers’ decision makers, the team would surely like a resolution sooner than later. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are the only QBs on the depth chart, and even if the team does find a way to turn their No. 21 pick into a rookie signal caller, the organization will presumably prefer a more reliable temporary solution at the position.

In New York, the Giants may not be as patient. Schultz says the Giants also still have interest in Rodgers, although the team will likely be pulling the trigger on a backup sooner than later. Russell Wilson is a fallback option for both squads, and the veteran QB seems to be the most impacted by Rodgers’ indecisiveness.

Considering Minnesota’s commitment to J.J. McCarthy and their sudden exit from the Rodgers pursuit, there were some questions regarding the team’s interest in the veteran in the first place. While much of the connection between the two appeared to be one-sided, Alec Lewis of The Athletic says there were “many” inside the Vikings building who supported the possibility. Another source told ESPN’s Kevin Seifert that Rodgers’ chances of joining Minnesota were “non-zero.” That’s not necessarily a ringing endorsement, but it also confirms interest nonetheless.

Aaron Rodgers Mulling Vikings Or Retirement?

March 15th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

It seems impossible to avoid the drama that surrounds free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers on what has become an annual basis. From the trade he forced Green Bay into that sent him to the Jets to his insistence on returning from a season-ending Achilles injury on a truncated schedule with unorthodox recovery methods to impacting reunions with most of his old Packers teammates in New York, Rodgers seems addicted to the spotlight.

That hasn’t changed to this day, as a team of Michael Silver, Dianna Russini, and Alec Lewis — all of The Athletic — reports that Rodgers has multiple teams holding out for his decision on where to play in 2025. One thing is a bit different in this situation, though: the decision appears to be out of Rodgers’ hands, at the moment. Per The Athletic, Rodgers has made it known that he is hoping to sign with the Vikings, but it’s head coach Kevin O’Connell who appears to hold sway over whether or not that will happen.

For a player that didn’t seem to want to live in the shadow of Brett Favre, Rodgers seems fairly eager to continue following in his exact footsteps. Rodgers’ desires are not exactly difficult to track here, though. At 41 years old, the veteran quarterback is hoping to land with a team that can contend for a Super Bowl. His move to New York was an attempt to bring a team in the gutter up to his usual championship-caliber, but that proved more difficult than anticipated.

Now, he’ll seek a contender who sat a game short of earning the NFC’s first-round bye in the playoffs with Sam Darnold at quarterback just last year. In fact, The Athletic reports that Darnold’s new salary in Seattle ($33.5MM per year) is around what Rodgers is looking for in a new contract. That being said, salary is not expected to be a sticking point for Rodgers on a new deal.

The real decision here comes from O’Connell, who has been granted key say in this situation by team owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. They know that, ultimately, the decision will weigh heaviest on O’Connell as head coach and that O’Connell has the most insight into the Vikings’ current situation at quarterback.

That situation has recently seen Minnesota affirming rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy as the heir apparent for the job moving forward, despite McCarthy missing the entirety of the 2024 NFL season following meniscus surgery. The 10th overall pick last year was not seen as a first-round option for much of the 2023 season, but his national championship-winning season with the Wolverines, combined with quite a few desperate teams looking for rookie passers, resulted in McCarthy hearing his name on Day 1.

While it was initially thought that McCarthy would need to sit and learn for a year, a lack of serious candidates for competition led McCarthy into a battle with Darnold to replace Kirk Cousins as the starter in Minnesota, a battle that Darnold was gifted following McCarthy’s surgery. Now, with Darnold having moved on and McCarthy having sat for the year, it’s presumed that McCarthy should now be ready to take hold of the starting role.

Enter: Rodgers. Obviously, Rodgers has the ability as an experienced veteran to come in and take hold of the starting job. O’Connell isn’t just looking for a starter, though. After a 14-3 season, O’Connell is looking to build off that momentum and take the team to a Super Bowl, even if it doesn’t happen this season.

This forces O’Connell to reconcile with what bringing Rodgers in would mean. First, the upside that Rodgers provides could help for a win-now mentality to take a talented Vikings team to a Super Bowl this season. But, given what we saw from Rodgers last season in New York, Minnesota may not get that upside. They could end up with what we’ve seen in Rodgers last two full seasons: a combined 13-21 record, sub-4,000 yards passing, and just over 25 touchdowns combined with double-digit interceptions, something we hadn’t seen from Rodgers since 2010.

O’Connell also has to reconcile with the social factor Rodgers brings to the team. We saw several instances of dissonance between Rodgers and leadership over his last years in Green Bay and his time with the Jets. Does O’Connell want to risk bringing in what some have deemed to be a toxic personality, especially if there’s no guarantee he returns to the excellence we saw just four years ago?

This could also impact McCarthy’s confidence, leading the young passer to feel as if the team doesn’t believe he’s ready for the job and further stunting his early growth. The alternative would see O’Connell lock in on McCarthy as the future of the position and start to get him as much time in that role as possible. Even if it doesn’t bring them the success of a Super Bowl in 2025, getting McCarthy reps as the leader of the offense would be crucial in the 22-year-old’s development.

It’s an unenviable position for O’Connell who has to weigh several factors in making a decision on whether to take the next uncertain steps with an inexperienced, unproven rookie or an accomplished veteran who could certainly be on the downslide that ends his career.

Regardless of what O’Connell decides, the Giants and Steelers are holding in position, waiting to make their own decisions as a result. Unfortunately for them, it sounds as if Rodgers may not be guaranteed to fall to them even if O’Connell decides not to sign him. According to The Athletic staff, it remains an option that, should the Vikings turn him down, Rodgers may spurn both Pittsburgh and New York in favor of retirement. There is certainly a slew of possibilities that will branch out from O’Connell’s upcoming decision.

Vikings Considering Aaron Rodgers Push; Giants Have Submitted Best Offer?

March 14th, 2025 at 11:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Aaron Rodgers market has persisted long enough that Russell Wilson is taking visits. Appearing to sit behind his former 2014 NFC championship game opponent the aging QB pecking order, Wilson has attempted to shake things up with Browns and Giants meetings. Wilson is meeting with Big Blue today.

But the Giants have done plenty of work on Rodgers. Linked to the 41-year-old cap casualty for several days, the Giants may also be leading the way in terms of offers. Although the Steelers have also made Rodgers an offer, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicated during her Scoop City podcast (h/t Steelers Depot) that New York is believed to have submitted a better offer.

Considering the earnings Rodgers has put together, the Giants offering a bit more probably would not move the needle enough. If the former Packers and Jets starter were to join the Giants, fit would most likely be the top box to check. Money is not believed to be the driver of Rodgers’ delay with the Steelers, so it would stand to reason no Giants offer would be pushing him in either direction. That said, a sizable gap forming between the two teams’ proposals could serve as a tiebreaker of sorts.

The Jets discussed Rodgers with “five or six” teams since the Combine, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson tweets, but they had previously determined they were moving on. It would appear that Gang Green made a last-ditch attempt to trade Rodgers, but nothing transpired on that front. Rodgers became a post-June 1 release Wednesday, saddling the Jets with $49MM in dead money through 2026. The Jets’ new regime making the call to move on from an all-time QB talent only to see three more teams swoop in is rather interesting, and the wild-card suitor here may be helping drive the delay.

Rodgers was viewed as being intrigued by a Vikings partnership — in what would be an eerily similar move to some late-2000s activity involving the Packers’ previous starting quarterback — but SI.com’s Albert Breer adds that, as of Thursday night, the Vikes were merely considering diving into the Rodgers market. Going a bit further here, Russini notes that the Vikings are “seriously” considering Rodgers, who is giving the NFC North team time to make its decision. That extra piece of information from Russini may do the best to explain this delay; the Vikings appear to be holding up the Steelers and Giants’ QB plans.

In addition to completing the Brett Favre arc, a Rodgers-to-Minnesota storyline would leave the Steelers and Giants scrambling at QB. While the Giants hold the No. 3 overall pick — and likely would still be connected to using it to acquire a QB even if Rodgers signs — the Steelers reside at No. 21. Rodgers choosing Pittsburgh would stand to give him the best chance of finishing the 2025 season as a starter, but he has clearly shown respect for what the Vikings have put together under Kevin O’Connell.

Minnesota has now been connected to Rodgers for nearly a week, with the Steelers being in play a bit longer. Both Sam Darnold and Vikes contingency plan Daniel Jones committed elsewhere. Jones was down to a Minnesota-or-Indianapolis choice; had the late-season Vikings addition chosen to stay in the Twin Cities, we might have a Rodgers answer by now. Jones, however, signed with the Colts to push Anthony Richardson. It will be interesting to see if either the Giants or Steelers blink and go with Wilson, whose free agency is in an interesting position at this point.

While it remains interesting Rodgers has this much sway after a wildly underwhelming Jets tenure, the glaring needs the Giants and Steelers bring partially explains it. One member of this trio will be left without Rodgers or Wilson, providing serious complications about 2025 viability. The Falcons have not let Kirk Cousins out of his contract (yet), and the Browns’ interest in Wilson provides another wrinkle here.

The Vikings are still preparing to give the keys to J.J. McCarthy, but a true entrance into the Rodgers derby would seemingly throw a wrench into the 2024 draftee’s timetable. Minnesota’s confidence in McCarthy would also stand to give Rodgers pause, but for now, he appears genuinely intrigued about see what the team’s sales pitch would be.

Aaron Rodgers Still Considering Vikings; Latest On Steelers’ Effort

March 12th, 2025 at 11:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Giants and Steelers have hovered as the leaders in this unusual Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes for multiple days, the future Hall of Fame quarterback is still deliberating. Rodgers is well aware the Giants and Steelers are interested, but the third team linked to him over the weekend is still believed to be in the mix.

Rodgers remains intrigued by playing for the Vikings, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Michael Silver note. Minnesota continues to evaluate its QB options, and we heard over the weekend Rodgers is one of them. While completing the Full Favre would be make for an eerie parallel for his one-time Packers successor, Minnesota has some selling points the other two suitors do not.

Kevin O’Connell is the reigning NFL Coach of the Year, riding to that honor mostly as Sam Darnold went from bottom-tier starter and borderline draft bust to an original-ballot Pro Bowler who threw 35 touchdown passes in guiding the Vikings to a stunning 14-3 record. Darnold targeted All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, former first-rounder Jordan Addison and Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson. Longtime Rodgers teammate Aaron Jones also did heavy lifting for the 2024 Vikings, and he is back on a two-year, $20MM deal.

Minnesota also finished with a top-five defense last season, and during a week in which the team re-signed Byron Murphy and retained Harrison Smith, the Vikes added veteran D-linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Brett Favre joined a Vikings team that had lost a wild-card game in 2008, albeit with a much worse record than last year’s Minnesota edition; Rodgers may be interested in helping a team to a higher level. Though, the four-time MVP failing to do so in New York — ahead of a Wednesday release — offers a warning sign for the suitors.

Favre took the Vikings to the 2009 NFC championship game, delivering an MVP-caliber season at 40. That ended badly, with a reckless interception stalling a potential game-winning Vikings drive in the NFC championship game. But Favre delivered a strong season at 40, beating Rodgers’ Packers twice. Unretirement No. 3 in 2010 did not go as well, as Favre’s ironman streak ended during a 6-10 Vikes season.

Rodgers is rumored to be interested in playing two more years, which is where a Minnesota decision would become complicated. Unlike in 2009 when they recruited Favre, the Vikings have a young quarterback (J.J. McCarthy) they are planning to build around. The 2009 Vikes had seen three Tarvaris Jackson seasons, as both a starter and backup, by that point. This Vikings regime is high on McCarthy, having centered its 2024 offseason around him before a meniscus tear entrenched Darnold at QB1. Rodgers may not be too keen on serving as a bridge who faces the risk of being benched during his first season with the team.

Chances are, he would not face that reality in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are not in position to grab a starter-level QB in the draft, though one of the QBs off the Cam Ward/Shedeur Sanders tier may rise up draft boards during the pre-draft process. But Rodgers could have a path, even as he will turn 42 in December, to starting throughout for a Steelers team that has a strong defensive nucleus — and one that just acquired D.K. Metcalf to play alongside George Pickens.

The Steelers have made their offer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reports, adding that money is not believed to be driving this Rodgers delay. The decorated quarterback has not publicly confirmed he even intends to play in 2025, though that has been the expectation for a bit. Although the Steelers are unlikely to essentially hand the keys to Rodgers in the way the Jets did, their hesitation on Russell Wilson does raise the stakes for this particular free agency pursuit.

Wilson looms as a Steelers backup option, but time may be ticking there, too. Wilson is visiting the Browns on Thursday and Giants on Friday. While Wilson has settled in behind Rodgers within the QB free agent hierarchy — to the point the Giants would be unlikely to sign him before they know they are out of the Rodgers derby — he remains a capable starting quarterback who could be a bridge option to a rookie.

The Vikings being in the Rodgers mix as well stands to give the 20-year veteran a good chance to remain a starter in 2025. While Rodgers is well off the 2012 Peyton Manning level in terms of free agency prize, as the all-time great’s free agency decision stalled the NFL that offseason, the Rodgers free agency is slowing the market for at least one quarterback and probably a couple more.

The two teams in this derby who do not land Rodgers figure to place an immediate call to Wilson’s camp. Options tail off soon after. Gardner Minshew is available, and Joe Flacco is interested in playing an age-40 season. The line moves to Jameis Winston, Carson Wentz and Mason Rudolph after. The Falcons continue to hold Kirk Cousins hostage, intent on keeping him for a potential trade market.

Russell Wilson Still In Play As Fallback Steelers Option; Aaron Rodgers Down To Two Teams?

March 11th, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers’ preference entering the negotiating period was to keep Justin Fields in place instead of Russell Wilson. That plan is no longer an option since the former agreed to a two-year Jets deal on Monday.

Wilson is still on the market, and he would obviously be a familiar option after spending the 2024 season as Pittsburgh’s starter (when healthy). The Steelers have become one of the suitors for Aaron Rodgers, however, and a deal could be in place soon. As talks on the Rodgers front continue, Wilson is not out of Pittsburgh’s plans yet.

Should the Rodgers negotiations break down, Wilson resides as a fallback option at this point, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. That might be a humbling position for a playoff team’s primary starter to reside, but Wilson looks to have other options. The Giants and Titans are believed to be interested, though New York is also in on Rodgers, who cannot officially be released until Wednesday afternoon. The Browns are also believed to still be eyeing a veteran, despite their Kenny Pickett acquisition.

A report Monday night indicated a Rodgers-Steelers deal could go down today, and SI.com’s Albert Breer said during a Rich Eisen Show segment the Steelers were fairly confident as of Monday that Rodgers would select them. The Giants remain in the mix, and Breer expects Rodgers to end up in Pittsburgh or to switch locker rooms at MetLife Stadium. The Giants have made their pitch and are indeed waiting on Rodgers’ decision, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes.

Although a weekend report connected the Vikings to Rodgers — in what would be an eerie parallel to the Brett Favre career path — Breer indicates he would be surprised if the future Hall of Famer ends up in Minnesota. That said, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano does not view the Vikings as out of this mix yet. This situation differs from last year’s Wilson decision and what could happen if the Falcons cut Kirk Cousins, as Rodgers could see a notable salary in 2025. The Broncos were already paying Wilson’s salary, while Cousins’ 2025 money is guaranteed as well.

The Steelers and Vikings are coming off playoff seasons and would be better positioned to complement Rodgers this year; that said, the Giants have been busy in free agency, most notably re-signing Darius Slayton and adding Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo. While Minnesota has J.J. McCarthy and New York holds the No. 3 overall pick, Pittsburgh may be committed to a full season of Rodgers if he is to sign. The Steelers not holding a pick in the top 20 would stand to give them an advantage for Rodgers, who would not need to look over his shoulder at a prospect — in all likelihood — were he to choose Pittsburgh.

As for Wilson, waiting on Rodgers’ talks with the Steelers may not sit too well. The younger of the two aging options finished two spots higher in QBR (23rd to 25th) last season and piloted the team to the playoffs. The Steelers’ late-season collapse, however, has not reflected well on Wilson, who appears behind Rodgers with the Giants as well.

Decisions should come soon, but Rodgers having this much say in how the QB market plays, at 41 and coming off an underwhelming Jets tenure, is interesting. But teams are still intrigued by the all-time QB talent. He has a clear route to play a 21st season and remain a starter.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post

Steelers Moving Close To Deal With Aaron Rodgers?

March 10th, 2025 at 11:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

PFR’s poll pointing to a potential Aaron Rodgers-Steelers fit did not draw a high vote count back in December, but it is starting to look like this could happen. A Rodgers deal with Pittsburgh may be close.

The Steelers could have a deal in place with Rodgers as soon as Tuesday, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports. The future first-ballot Hall of Fame became connected to the Steelers recently, but Florio adds the parties have been in talks for several days — when it became clear Justin Fields would explore free agency.

Pittsburgh still may need to fend off the Giants, who were rumored to prefer Rodgers to Russell Wilson. Despite the Steelers using Wilson as their primary starter last season, it appears they do as well. Although Rodgers will turn 42 before 2025 ends, he is still drawing interest from QB-needy teams.

Rodgers’ desire, per Florio, to play two more seasons factors into his decision-making here. Whereas the Giants are likely to add a first-round quarterback — they are at least in position to do so and have been linked to trading up to No. 1 overall — the Steelers hover outside the top 20 in the draft and are not in a position to nab one of this class’ top two options. As such, the Steelers would be in better position to hold off on a younger passer if they land Rodgers, who has not confirmed he is playing in 2025.

It has been believed Rodgers will come back for a 21st season, and despite an underwhelming Jets tenure, the all-time QB talent has generated a bit of a bidding war — as far as fit goes, at least. The Giants may still be involved here, Florio adds, but the Steelers would stand to give Rodgers a better chance to reach the playoffs in 2025. Baggage aside, Rodgers would provide the Steelers with an upgrade on what they have deployed at QB in recent years — particularly from a passing standpoint. As far as the rest of the Rodgers experience goes, that would be borderline must-see TV when paired with Mike Tomlin.

Despite Rodgers’ antics over the past few years, the Steelers taking this chance does not seem too farfetched based purely on football. Although the four-time MVP has not closely resembled that version in recent years, he finished with 28 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions last season. QBR still ranked Rodgers 25th — three spots behind Wilson — last season, when he tied a career-low with 6.7 yards per attempt. After Kenny Pickett and the Wilson-Fields combination did not do enough to complement Pittsburgh’s defense, the team may be close to a gamble — fit-wise — as the T.J. Watt–Cameron Heyward–Minkah Fitzpatrick trio’s primes wane.

Steelers, Giants In On Aaron Rodgers; Latest On Russell Wilson Market

March 10th, 2025 at 5:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seeing Justin Fields prefer to test his market rather than re-sign with the Steelers before free agency, Pittsburgh viewed it as necessary to enter talks with outside QB options. Although one target (Sam Darnold) is off the board, a much bigger name remains.

The Steelers are indeed in talks with Aaron Rodgers, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo. They might have a real chance to add the future first-ballot Hall of Famer. Although the Giants are believed to be eyeing Rodgers as their preferred bridge option, SNY’s Connor Hughes indicates some around the league expect Rodgers to end up in Pittsburgh.

The Giants are waiting to see if Rodgers is truly interested in staying in New York, Hughes adds. If Rodgers proves elusive for the Giants, Hughes adds they are still interested in Russell Wilson. Though, a handful of other teams are as well. While the Jets, Raiders and Seahawks checked the veteran QB box off their respective to-do lists, the Titans and Browns join the Giants and Steelers in pursuit of at least a bridge option. Cleveland’s Kenny Pickett acquisition may not represent the team’s true veteran option.

Tennessee is interested in Wilson as well, Hughes reports. The team was believed to be showing interest in Darnold before free agency, but a price ceiling — one that checked in south of where Seattle ended up going — came into play regarding that push. Wilson would profile as a stopgap for a Titans team that is not certain to exit Round 1 with a passer. Though, Tennessee would have the right of first refusal here due to holding the No. 1 pick.

As it stands, the Steelers do not appear interested in re-signing Wilson, per Dulac and Fittipaldo. The QB impressed at points but clashed with Arthur Smith during a season that ended with a five-game skid. The Steelers had been in talks with Wilson, but after so much noise came out about a Fields re-signing, the veteran may look elsewhere as well. Though, the Post-Gazette cautions Wilson could be back in play depending on where things settle. He does not look like the Steelers’ preferred option. It remains to be seen how serious the Steelers are about adding Rodgers. A few dominoes remain on the QB market as the legal tampering period rolls on.

Steelers To Discuss Deal With Aaron Rodgers

March 10th, 2025 at 9:33am CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers worked out a major addition to their offense by agreeing to a trade for D.K. Metcalf on Sunday. The team’s quarterback setup is still in question, but a number of options are being considered.

Pittsburgh remains in discussion with Justin Fields, but the team’s backup (for much of last season) is on track to test the market. The Jets loom as a strong suitor if Fields is to depart, and New York’s starter for the past two years could be an option to head to Pittsburgh. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Steelers are expected to discuss a deal with Aaron Rodgers.

The four-time MVP will officially become a free agent once his post-June 1 release is processed at the start of the new league year later this week. Rodgers is free to speak with interested teams at any time, though, and the Seahawks (having agreed to trade away Geno Smith) are on the list of potential suitors. How Pittsburgh proceeds with Fields will be key, but the team will need to pivot quickly if the 26-year-old heads elsewhere.

Sam Darnold is on the Steelers’ radar, and working out a deal with the NFL’s top pending free agent would of course preclude a Rodgers addition. Seattle is believed to be preparing a strong push for Darnold, though, and the Titans could also be in the mix. In the event Pittsburgh were to fall short on the Darnold front, Rodgers could be a short-term fallback option. The 41-year-old is not certain to play in 2025, but he appears to be leaning in that direction.

Pittsburgh used Fields for the first six weeks of the season, and he had support in the building to remain atop the depth chart even after Russell Wilson was healthy. Head coach Mike Tomlin elected to install the former Super Bowl winner and kept him in place the rest of the way, however. That move is among the factors Fields is weighing as he contemplates re-signing with the Steelers, whose preference would be to turn to him instead of Wilson for 2025.

Rodgers’ 2023 campaign was limited to four snaps due to an Achilles tear. He remained available for all of last season, delivering capable performances at times while dealing with a number of nagging ailments. As a whole, the Jets’ offense did not meet expectations and the team’s decision to move on comes as no surprise. If Rodgers is to join a third career team, the Steelers will be among those to watch.

Seahawks To Contact Aaron Rodgers

March 9th, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Closely linked to Sam Darnold after trading Geno Smith, the Seahawks are obviously not certain to land him. The Vikings are not expected to bring Darnold back, pointing to the QB having interest in a newfound suitor, but Seattle will still need to pay up to land a player we ranked No. 1 on our 2025 free agent list.

Darnold could certainly be labeled the Seahawks’ top target, as buzz about a potential Russell Wilson reunion has not built. But a more talented quarterback will be available soon. While Aaron Rodgers is 41, he is a four-time MVP who played decently last season. The Seahawks are not expected to pass through this free agency period without talking to the 20-year veteran, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

Rodgers has been connected to the Giants and Vikings, but a Seahawks landing would give the all-time QB talent a better chance at competing — in all likelihood — in 2025. The Seahawks are coming off a 10-7 season, seeing Smith’s 15 interceptions prove an impediment in Mike Macdonald’s first season. Klint Kubiak is now aboard as OC. He has not stopped through Green Bay or New York, but the second-generation coach does run an offense that resembles Matt LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett‘s. Kubiak was on Hackett’s 2022 Broncos staff, though that might not be a ringing endorsement.

One connection could be more notable. Seahawks GM John Schneider was in Green Bay when the team drafted Rodgers in 2005. Schneider was also Packers director of football operations when they made the move to trade Brett Favre (after unretirement No. 1) in 2008. In his second year running the show (post-Pete Carroll), Schneider has now signed off on trading Smith and D.K. Metcalf. Seattle has plenty of work to do this offseason.

This connection aside, shifting from a 34-year-old quarterback to a 41-year-old passer who is not yet two years removed from Achilles surgery would be a fascinating plan for the Seahawks. Rodgers ranked 25th in QBR last season (four spots south of Smith) but did start 17 games after his Achilles rehab and finish with a 28-11 TD-INT ratio. Teams could certainly do worse, though much has changed about the baggage Rodgers brings since Scheneider’s time with the Packers.

Rodgers has not confirmed he is even playing in 2025, but all signs are pointing to it. The Jets are about to be tagged with $49MM in dead money, and offsets would make Rodgers’ 2025 landing comparable to where Wilson was in 2024. The Steelers had Wilson on the veteran minimum, as the Broncos were paying the rest. As the Jets prepare for the second-highest single-player dead money hit, they will be on the hook for the bulk of Rodgers’ 2025 money.

Steelers Expected To Make Offer To Sam Darnold; Latest On Jets’ Justin Fields Effort

March 9th, 2025 at 5:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold-Seahawks connections came in hot after the Geno Smith trade, and Seattle may well reside as the 2024 Vikings starter’s most likely destination. But other teams will drive up the bidding.

The Titans have been closely tied to Darnold, as they are not considered likely (via TitanInsider.com’s Terry McCormick) to pursue a reclamation project like Daniel Jones or one of the failed 2021 first-round picks. But Tennessee may not be the only team that pursues Darnold. After being closely tied to Justin Fields throughout the winter, the Steelers are expected to see what it will take to land Darnold.

Pittsburgh is expected to make Darnold an offer, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. PFR’s No. 1 free agent, Darnold will almost definitely cost more than Fields. And the Steelers going from a veteran-minimum contract and a rookie-scale deal at QB to Darnold would be an amazing jump for a team that has not paid top-tier money at the position since the 2010s.

Fields, however, remains the focus for Pittsburgh, Russini adds. Jets interest in Fields has built since the Combine, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. The Steelers hold more than $63MM in cap space; the Jets check in at just more than $51MM.

Fields would bring scheme familiarity and a lower price tag, but the Jets have gained steam as a suitor. New York’s interest, as the team is not going to be a Darnold suitor for obvious reasons, may be heavy for Fields, with Russini adding the Jets are viewed as team showing “strong” interest. We heard over the weekend the Jets would be a top threat to the Steelers’ effort to re-sign Fields. That appears quite real. The Jets going from Rodgers to Fields would mark a passing downgrade, but the latter is only going into his age-26 season. He is two years younger than Darnold and clearly still has fans in NFL front offices and on coaching staffs.

The Steelers losing out on Fields could drive them to make a genuine push for Darnold, but they could also merely pivot to Russell Wilson, whose market should not rival Fields’ — the Steelers’ 2024 depth chart notwithstanding — or perhaps Aaron Rodgers. The polarizing veteran is unlikely to land in Pittsburgh, per the Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly, but the veteran Steelers reporter indicates he could be an option.

The Falcons have not yet budged on Kirk Cousins, intending to (for now, at least) keep him as their backup. Cousins would be a Wilson-like option, as another team would be paying him, for 2025 should he be released. Wilson has spoken with the Steelers this offseason but has long hovered as plan B, and now that Smith has reunited with Pete Carroll, one other option is off the table. Thus far, we have not heard serious talk of a potential Seahawks-Wilson reunion.

Darnold’s price tag impacting the Steelers’ ability to build around him and Fields’ struggles as a passer do not place the Steelers in a great spot here. They do have a strong defense, one Rodgers could conceivably complement, as we suggested back in December. (Though, an upper-crust Jets defensive nucleus just went 5-12.) But the Steelers have not won a playoff game since 2016. That raises the stakes for them to identify the right player this offseason. If a Fields second season is not in the cards, paying more for Darnold appears on the radar.

Load More Posts