Is Aaron Rodgers headed for the Pittsburgh Steelers? NFL Network’s Insider contributor Mike Garafolo reported that the veteran QB had a throwing session with DK Metcalf at UCLA the other day. Ian Rapoport joined the Pat McAfee Show to confirm this rumor, saying it “went well”. The signs certainly point to the free agent signing with the Steelers soon.
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On March 9, the Seattle Seahawks dealt Metcalf to the Steel City for a 2025 second-round pick. The move was coming, as DK had requested a trade just days earlier. But it was perplexing to see him go to a team without a good QB option. If the season started today, Mason Rudolph, a backup QB at best, would be at the helm for the Steelers.
But with the Rodgers rumors doing the rounds, and with Metcalf having a session with him as well, their pairing looks imminent. On March 21, Aaron reportedly spent six hours at the team’s facility in a “productive” meeting too. And, even as the fans frustratingly wait for the drama to get over, some took the ball and ran with it on Reddit. Naturally, George Pickens became the target of their jokes.
There are strong rumors linking Pickens to the Las Vegas Raiders in a potential draft-night trade. So fans made fun of the wide receiver for missing his chance to play with Rodgers. With Geno Smith being the current QB in Vegas, the comments were downright hilarious.
“Pickens is somewhere throwing his helmet as we speak,” wrote one fan. More comments followed, picking on his hotheaded nature and volatility on the field.
A Redditor responded, writing, “Somewhere learning to speak Vegas.” Another user penned, “Probably body slamming a dummy dressed like a rival cornerback.” Jokes apart, the Raiders wouldn’t be the worst place for Pickens to end up.
Las Vegas needs some help at receiver, and Geno has proven to be more than capable of supporting a quality one. The real action, drama rather, would be on the roster Rodgers joins.
Another Redditor highlighted exactly this while presenting the scenario after Rodgers joins the Steelers, “This is gonna be cinema.” The NFL world is clearly bracing for the drama that is bound to ensue.
As a free agent, Rodgers is expected to sign a deal north of $25 million, and incentives could push the value to somewhere around $40 million. It might be hard to imagine, given his play last season. But teams still view him as a quality veteran with the upside to return to MVP form.
If signed, Rodgers would undoubtedly be a win for the Steelers should he manage to bring forth some of the class that saw him accumulate over 60,000 passing yards and win four MVP awards. He might not be the player he was four years ago, but he’s a better option than Rudolph.
And paired with Mike Tomlin, the two could maybe turn things around in the Steel City for the year. The question is, what happens after that year?
It’s a ride-or-die season coming up for Rodgers. He’s going to have to prove that he can still hang in the NFL. What could happen after that can be a projection reserved for later.
