Insider, analyst share theory about Aaron Rodgers' lack of Steelers decision

It's widely believed that Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons, who has a full no-trade clause attached to his contract, won't accept a move to a different club until he sees which teams select quarterbacks with first-round picks after he lost his starting job to 2024 rookie Michael Penix Jr. this past December. 

During a Wednesday appearance on Pittsburgh sports radio station 93.7 The Fan, NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested a similar mindset is why Aaron Rodgers hasn't yet joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, even though most signs point to Rodgers eventually signing a deal with the organization. 

"I don't think he wants to go into a situation where there's gonna be a chance that if things don't go well, he's gonna get put on the bench for somebody else," Florio said about Rodgers' thinking, as shared by Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. 

Florio isn't alone, as Fox Sports' Jason McIntyre offered a similar theory during Wednesday's edition of FS1's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" program. 

"You see what the Falcons did last year? They ushered in the Kirk Cousins era," McIntyre explained, per Jake Brockhoff of Steelers Depot. "Two months later, they drafted Michael Penix [eighth overall], and clearly it messed with [Cousins'] head. He was coming off an injury. Rodgers is coming off an injury as well. And you start to wonder, no wonder Rodgers isn't committing. He just saw Kirk Cousins get totally shafted."

Both Rodgers and Cousins spent last offseason recovering from torn Achilles injuries they suffered during the 2023 campaign. More recently, Rodgers dealt with multiple knee issues, a low ankle sprain and a hamstring problem this past fall. 

As for the Steelers possibly grabbing a quarterback with the 21st overall pick of the 2025 draft, they've been linked with names such as Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart. It's possible Pittsburgh could complete a trade to move up in the draft order for one of those signal-callers depending on how things play out on April 24. 

Numerous reports have indicated Rodgers truly wants to play for a Minnesota Vikings side that seems ready to turn to 2024 first-round draft choice J.J. McCarthy. Assuming the Steelers are Rodgers' fallback option, he may feel he has no reason to put pen to paper on a contract until he sees what Pittsburgh does during the opening round of the draft.