Report: Pittsburgh Steelers 'hoping and believing' Aaron Rodgers joins team

The Pittsburgh Steelers believe Aaron Rodgers is still in their future but nothing is for certain and nothing would be surprising, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The plan is for Rodgers to sign in Pittsburgh eventually, or so it would seem.

There’s already speculation that if Rodgers is no longer the option for the Steelers, Pittsburgh would pivot towards veteran option Kirk Cousins via trade. Cousins is currently signed for a few more years in Atlanta, but is the No. 2 QB behind second-year man Michael Penix Jr.

So right now, we wait for Rodgers some more. Even ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler called the timeline of Rodgers “unpredictable.”

“We’re sort of, unfortunately, where we were, which is them giving him, he’s dealing with his personal stuff, his time, them hoping and believing that he is going to join them and be their quarterback, but not 100% knowing,” Rapoport said on The Pat McAfee Show. “There’s been nothing to kind of push that. Now this time next week is the Steelers’ mandatory mini camp, maybe it changes. That might be interesting, and that would be a time when it would make sense for him to go in, sign if he’s going to sign, get his playbook going for the summer. So, that’s my thought and that makes the most sense but it is Aaron Rodgers, so I would literally rule nothing out.”

The June 10-12 dates are for the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp. Currently, Pittsburgh is in the midst of OTAs, which are voluntary offseason workouts. NFL veterans have the choice to participate in these workouts, and with Rodgers having two decades of experience under his belt, he likely wouldn’t be a participant in these workouts anyway.

If not the Steelers, the New Orleans Saints are another team that is currently looking for its next quarterback. However, Rodgers put these rumors to bed. That leaves the Steelers as one of the most logical franchises for the former NFL MVP to sign with.

Moving forward without Rodgers, it seems the Steelers have a two-man race between veteran Mason Rudolph, who returns to Pittsburgh this year, and rookie Will Howard (Ohio State). Safe to say, it’s thin after the Steelers made the playoffs last season.

Rodgers, based on some parts of last season, would be an upgrade at QB. But as he ages into what could be the final season of his career, and lack of a playoff run in years, it remains to be seen.