NFL Insider Provides Update On Steelers, Aaron Rodgers Saga

Another day goes by without Aaron Rodgers officially being a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

All signs points to Rodgers signing with the Steelers, but the 41-year-old quarterback continues to drag things out as the NFL draft is less than three weeks away.

Despite pen not touching paper yet on a signed contract, the Steelers are confident that they can close a deal with Rodgers, according to ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.

“I’m told from the Steelers they do remain optimistic, but nothing has changed from when Art Rooney, team president, addressed the media at the owners meetings on Tuesday that they feel good about this shaking out that Rodgers will be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Fowler said on “SportsCenter” on Sunday. “Have not gotten definitive word, but they’re willing to wait ‘a little while longer.’ That as really been the case for a few weeks now. But talking to people that have been involved in the quarterback market in the last couple months, they believe that the Steelers must’ve gotten some sort of assurance at some point from Rodgers that he’s going to sign eventually. So, we should see some movement between now and the draft, potentially.”

It’s puzzling that the Steelers and Rodgers still have not yet come to terms on a contract agreement. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini believes the hold up could be money related as Rodgers knows he has leverage with the Steelers only having Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their quarterback depth chart at the moment.

But Rodgers’ options are very thin as well. The Minnesota Vikings seemed like a possible destination for Rodgers a few weeks ago, but they appear to be backing out. That leaves Rodgers with really only two choices when it comes to his upcoming decision.

“The Minnesota Vikings, is he waiting them out? That is sort of a lingering question out there but when I talk to people with the Vikings, this is all but dead for them essentially,” Fowler said. “Maybe if he’s available later in the summer they would revisit but that just seems unlikely at this point. So, it’s Steelers, retirement or bust.”