Pittsburgh Steelers: Offer Made to Aaron Rodgers, But No Deal Imminent After Visit
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to court veteran quarterback and four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, but Rodgers hasn't made up his mind.
The Pittsburgh Post Gazzette's Gerry Dulac first reported that Rodgers was at the Steelers’ facility on Friday for what turned out to be a six-hour visit.
While that seems to be a strong indication of interest from Rodgers, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and ESPN's Adam Schefter both reported that no deal is imminent. On Monday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapport reported that the meeting "went really well."
Dulac reported about two weeks ago that the Steelers made Rodgers a formal contract offer.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reports that the Steelers expect Rodgers will also look to meet with the New York Giants as he weighs which team to sign with (if any).
"At this point, my sense is that whatever Rodgers decides will come down to what he sees as the best football situation," Breer wrote Monday morning. "And along those lines, I've heard Rodgers is looking for a culture such as the one in Green Bay.
"That's also one area where the Steelers have an edge—Pittsburgh has a long-established culture, a family-business feel, and stability, just like Green Bay. It also helps, I'd think, that the roster is stocked with decorated veterans such as T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and now DK Metcalf, who are deep into their careers and presumably would carry a similar win-now urgency to Rodgers."
The Giants have a young roster with talent and potential, including wide receiver Malik Nabers, and Rodgers would be tasked with turning it around.
"The Giants have some, but not all, of those [culture] elements," Breer wrote. "There's also the possibility of retirement or that Rodgers wants to wait the Vikings out. No one has a timeline. This, it appears, is all going to come down to what one guy and one guy alone wants to do."
Cincinnati Bengals: Wide Receiver Deals Done, But What About the Defense?
The Bengals celebrated their mega-deals with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins last week, but the focus has now turned to the defense.
A look at the details of the Bengals' deals with Chase and Higgins shows that they did not save much money on the salary cap this year with the extensions.
The Bengals also still have the Trey Hendrickson issue, as the star defensive end has requested a trade. If they want to keep him, the Bengals will likely need to also offer him a mega-deal comparable to what Danielle Hunter just got in Houston (one year, $35.6 million).
Even if the Bengals keep Hendrickson, it still raises questions about their ability to improve a defense that allowed the 25th most points per game (25.5) in the league last season.
"It almost feels like a signal that the Bengals are done in free agency. That's a dangerous place for them to live," Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling wrote.
"The Bengals are paying more for roughly the same team as last year. … Cincinnati has gambled that overhauling the coaching staff will be the one thing that dramatically changes things for one of the NFL's worst defenses last year."
Cleveland Browns: With Quarterback Options Dwindling, Pressure Builds for Draft
The Browns traded for quarterback Kenny Pickett, adding the former Steelers 2022 first-round pick in exchange for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick. Will he be their starting quarterback in 2025?
The Browns' options are dwindling with Jameis Winston announcing he will ink a two-year deal with the New York Giants. Russell Wilson reportedly visited the Browns last week, "but the two sides did not discuss the parameters of a contract and he left without a deal," ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi reports.
The Browns reportedly had interest in Daniel Jones, but he opted to compete in Indianapolis. The Atlanta Falcons didn't trade Kirk Cousins before his $10 million roster bonus hit. Besides Wilson, the other free agent quarterbacks remaining are Joe Flacco, Caron Wentz, Tyler Huntley, and Drew Lock.
"Pickett told reporters he was informed he will get an opportunity to compete to be the starter and expects a veteran addition at some point," Oyefusi wrote.
The more likely, or at least additional route, is the draft. The Browns hold the No. 2-overall pick. Miami quarterback Cam Ward is now widely projected to be drafted first overall by the Tennessee Titans.
"I don't think the Browns will really have a shot at Ward, and they might even like Shedeur Sanders better for their organization," Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot wrote. "We won't know the answer to that until draft night, but I still think they'll take a QB at 2."
