Quarterbacks were on the move early in the NFL’s legal tampering period. Sam Darnold joined the Seattle Seahawks and Justin Fields inked a contract with the New York Jets on Monday afternoon. Some of the league’s older veteran signal-callers, though, are still on the open market.
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Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, former Super Bowl champions, are the most notable of those options. The pair are rumored to be in discussions with multiple organizations, but thus far, nothing has materialized.
Rodgers (41 years old) and Wilson (36) don’t have many seasons left in their respective careers. They want to make money, but are more concerned about competing for Super Bowls. And unless the Minnesota Vikings decide they want to keep 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy on the bench, there’s only one spot they can possibly do that: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Rodgers does decide to go to Pittsburgh, it would most definitely mean Wilson’s exit from the team. There are rumors Rodgers may still be mulling retirement as well. But NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks doesn’t believe Rodgers is hanging up his cleats. He’s fairly positive that Rodgers’ hesitancy is impacting Wilson’s ability to latch onto a team.
“[With] all the attention, [Rodgers] has to play… I’m not confident that he’s going to play well… but I’m fairly confident that he’s going to play. Otherwise, why take us through all of this… he’s going to milk it… it’s not necessarily fair to Russell Wilson or some of the other [quarterbacks]… but that’s what he does.”
Whether Rodgers or Wilson offers head coach Mike Tomlin more upside is in the eye of the beholder.
The Steelers, whom Wilson played for in 2024, started 10-3 last season. Wilson won six of his first seven starts. But he and Pittsburgh lost their last five games (including playoffs) to end the year. This poor finish likely contributed to what FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported is now a potentially contentious relationship with head coach Mike Tomlin.
Schultz believes Pittsburgh could still be in play “if the trust and respect is still there” between Tomlin and Wilson. But at this moment, it seems like Wilson has other plans. He visited the Cleveland Browns on Thursday and is slated to chat with the New York Giants on Friday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Sources: Free-agent QB Russell Wilson is scheduled to fly tonight to Cleveland to visit with the Browns on Thursday, before being scheduled to fly to New York on Thursday night to visit Friday with the Giants. pic.twitter.com/5mKkcqV4ja
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2025
Cleveland and New York, owners of the No. 2 and No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, don’t project as contenders next season. But with Wilson seemingly out of contending options, he must shift focus. Those are his biggest suitors if he’s adamant about starting. Otherwise, he’d make a lot of sense as a backup for Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.
His best-case scenario? Signing with the Browns or Giants and playing well ahead of the league’s trade deadline. Then, if a contending team loses their quarterback to an injury, he could get moved. Barring something surprising, he’ll likely toil away padding stats for his Hall of Fame resume.
