Steelers or Vikings? The latest in the free agent QB Aaron Rodgers

Palm Beach, Florida-To listen to the owner of the Steelers, Art Rooney II, tell him Tuesday morning at the annual meetings of the NFL League, the Pittsburgh Steelers “listen to” the four-time MVP Field Marshal, Aaron Rodgers, is “headed in our direction.”

“We continue to receive positive signals about it,” Rooney said. “So, I would say that we feel quite well about it at this time.”

But since it was released by the New York Jets, Rodgers has also been linked to the Minnesota Vikings, who had conversations with Rodgers last month.

“He was at a time in his career in which he was free to have a real dialogue about how his future would look,” said the Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. “And it turned out to be one of those teams he contacted. And I have had a personal relationship with him since my game days.”

While Rodgers has not given his hand publicly about his decision, he visited Pittsburgh on March 21 and spent six hours with Brass of Steelers and members of the coaching staff.

“It was a very good day,” said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, about the meeting. “Specifically, he and I obviously know each other for some time, so it was really good to spend time together and get to know each other more intimately. But it is a free agency, it is a process.”

Rodgers left Pittsburgh without accepting a contract, but a source with direct knowledge of the situation indicated that Steelers felt positively about the possibility that Rodgers lands with them. Since then, the Steelers have remained “committed” to Rodgers, said the source. Rodgers was also filmed having a launch session with the open receiver of the Steelers DK Metcalf during the weekend.

However, as the largest decision makers of the League concluded their annual meetings on Tuesday, Rodgers had not yet decided where he will play next season, or if he will play at all. Could I turn to the Steelers and go to its former rival of the division? Will Tomlin finally attract him to Steel City? Here is everything we know about where things are with the coveted field marshal, courtesy of the Steelers reporter, Brooke Pryor and the Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert.

What is the deadline of Steelers to make a decision of Rodgers?

It depends on who you ask. The Steelers consensus is that there is no fall date for which they need a decision of Rodgers.

So, does that mean that Rooney is content to continue waiting?

“Well, not forever,” he said, “but a little more.”

However, a little more, it could be enough calendar pages.

Although he acknowledged that he would like the position to be established more with the NFL draft less than a month away, Tomlin said the construction of the list is continuous. He also added that the field Marshal process has not prevented the team from collecting information about this year’s draft class or performing other movements in free agency.

“We are more or less weeks of the draft and, therefore, we certainly like to have established circumstances, but it is a process: the acquisition of talent, either in the quarterback position or in all positions,” Tomlin said on Sunday. “We spend a large most of our spring and low season organizing a list of 90 men and, therefore, is ongoing.”

Tomlin established a training camp as a “demarcation line” where an incomplete seafood position would hinder the development of the team. – Pryor

What does Rodgers mean working with Metcalf?

Rooney tells that as one of those positive signals. The images published on social networks on Monday showed Rodgers exercising during the weekend with the Steelers Metcalf receiver, whom the team acquired on March 9 in an exchange of great success with the Seattle Seahawks.

“I would say it was a good sign that I wanted to do that,” Rooney said on Tuesday.

General Manager Omar Khan also said it was a good sign to see Rodgers exercised with Metcalf.

“I wasn’t there, but that’s good if that happened, I would say that,” he said.

It could be something. It could be nothing. With Rodgers, you never know. – Pryor

If it is not Rodgers, who for the Steelers?

Tomlin said he is “comfortable” with the idea of ​​Mason Rudolph as the team’s holder marshal, but Khan acknowledged that the team still has two quartback places to fill, so they can enter the training camp with their typical four -men position group. Khan said it is “sure to assume” that one of those places will go to a veteran field marshal.

“All options are on the table through free agency, trade or draft, obviously,” Khan said.

The group of field seafood of free agents available and possible commercial candidates is limited. Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz are the best options of the Steelers among the field of free agents, while Kirk Cousins ​​in Atlanta could be the most realistic commercial objective. Cousins ​​has a non -trade clause and is due to $ 27.5 million guaranteed this season, and another bonus of the $ 10 million list due in 2026, which makes it difficult to move.

The field of field marshal either does it seem especially fruitful, but the Steelers have made their due diligence when meeting with Jalen Milroe of Alabama, Tyler Shough of Louisville and Quinn Eweers of Texas, among others. The Ole Miss field marshal, Jaxson Dart, could also be a first round goal, although it is projected to leave before the selection of the steelers at number 21. Pryor

If not the Steelers, what for Rodgers?

When free agency, Steelers and New York giants began, they were the two teams actively committed to Rodgers, and the giants extended a contract offer. The giants withdrew from consideration by signing Russell Wilson, who was with the Steelers last season, to an agreement of a year after taking Jameis Winston to a one -year contract.

If Rodgers would end the Vikings, I would complete the Brett Favre cycle. After Favre completed his 16 -year mandate with the Packers, he went to play a season for the jets and two with the Vikings. The member of the Hall of Fame retired in January 2011 at 41 years after 20 years in the NFL. Rodgers, of course, was recruited by Packers as Favre’s backup. After 18 years in Green Bay, he spent the last two seasons with the jets.

Beyond those three teams, no other organization has been linked to Rodgers. If you do not choose to sign an agreement in Pittsburgh, Rodgers, 41, could consider retirement after your own 20 -year career, or could wait for another team to come to call in case of an injury. – Pryor

What was the nature of the discussions of the Vikings with Rodgers?

Rodgers directly contacted O’Connell last month, whom he has met since the two played together in the league at the end of the 2000s.

“Aaron and I have had a relationship for a long time,” said O’Connell this week. “Initially he approached and we could have some conversations. We were in hunting to always improve our football team and put our football team in the best possible opportunity to win.

“You are constantly recognizing and evaluating all the opportunities that may be out there. And certainly that was one that seemed interesting to me, just because it speaks of what our place has become field marshals, what I know. [general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah] And I am very proud, and our coaching staff is very proud. “

The Vikings had already made contract offers to veteran Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, but both signed elsewhere with the assumption that JJ McCarthy, the number 10 selection of the 2024 Draft, who lost his rookie season due to a torn straight meniscus, soon, if not immediately, ascended to the initial work.

Rodgers and O’Connell spoke several times, and O’Connell transmitted those conversations to key decision makers. That caused several days of discussions about how it would be to add to Rodgers and delay the McCarthy schedule to the 2026 season. – Seifert

How did they leave it?

The Vikings decided to leave the job open so that McCarthy could benefit from the maximum repetitions with the first team once the OTA and the mini -Pamage begin.

“We have had a quarterback plan with JJ McCarthy,” said O’Connell, “and [we] I really like where he is on that trip right now, and I hope that the low season program goes with him, in addition to all the work he has done before that moment in a few weeks. And that’s where we leave things. “

Adofo-Menah said that McCarthy opened the season since the headline is “the result we want” and “the result towards which we head.” But he did not completely rule out the possibility that Rodgers could re -enter Vikings conversations if he does not sign another place first.

“To feel here and say that anything is 100 percent forever, that is not the job,” said Adafo-Menah. “We are responding to different scenarios and information as it comes. So obviously things can change, but at this moment we are really happy with our [quarterback] Room and we are looking to update it in different ways. ” Seifert

What stage would Rodgers become an option for Vikings?

McCarthy would have to demonstrate overwhelming evidence that he will not be ready to play this season, either because of an injury or a complete reversal of the skills and aptitude that he demonstrated during his short time in the training camp last summer. Consider Rodgers an option to break the glass in case of emergency. Otherwise, Vikings are committed to their plan to bring McCarthy to the field for the 2025 season. – Seifert