The calliope has stopped for the NFL’s game of musical chairs. Multiple teams had been waiting for Aaron Rodgers to pick a seat, any seat.
If he’s not going to do it any time soon, at what point does the chase for chairs continue without him?
The Steelers and Giants are seemingly waiting for Rodgers to make a decision before making moves with other veteran quarterbacks. Caught in the wash of Rodgers’s delay are players like Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston, and (if a trade is possible from the Falcons) Kirk Cousins. With the Vikings reportedly not signing Rodgers “at this time” and with Rodgers potentially waiting to see whether J.J. McCarthy performs well enough during the offseason program to keep the Vikings from breaking glass in event of emergency, will the Steelers and Giants keep waiting, too? Or will they move on?
It’s more imperative for the Giants, who currently have one quarterback on the roster — journeyman who has yet to do much journeying Tommy DeVito. They desperately need someone, anyone on whom they can pin even a portion of their hopes for 2025. (They’ve brought in Wilson, Flacco, and Winston for visits in the past week.)
The Steelers have two quarterbacks on the roster: Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Rudolph performed well down the stretch for the Steelers in 2023, after the soft benching of Kenny Pickett (and before Rudolph wanted more than the Steelers were inclined to pay). Thompson, like Rudolph, has once started a playoff game in Buffalo. The Steelers seem to be in better position to let it ride through the draft than the Giants.
It’s also possible the Steelers and/or Giants could add a veteran with the understanding that, if Rodgers comes calling at some point down the road, the veteran will be sent packing. That will make the terms of any contract even more important; the fully guaranteed money at signing, or lack thereof, will shine plenty of light on whether the veteran is at risk of being thrown overboard if/when Rodgers shows up.
There’s also a chance that, if/when Rodgers decides to take a job with one of the team to which he has been linked, no jobs will be open. He surely understands this fact, and he seems to be willing to accept the risk that the chairs will be filled — and won’t be tipped over and emptied — if/when he finally decides to make his move.
On Wednesday’s PFT Live, I complained about Rodgers seemingly waiting to make his choice. It now seems that he’s strategically waiting for whether he’ll have a chance to choose the Vikings. Which, if true, raises a key question for the Steelers and Giants.
How long are you going to sit around and wait for Rodgers?
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