Insider names Steelers' 'break-the-glass emergency option' if they don't sign Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to hope that they'll eventually sign Aaron Rodgers to be their 2025 Week 1 starting quarterback.

During a Monday appearance on the ESPN "Unsportsmanlike" program, NFL insider Adam Schefter indicated that the Steelers aren't yet ready to enter September with longtime backup Mason Rudolph atop their depth chart in the event that Rodgers either joins the Minnesota Vikings or stays unsigned through springtime workouts. 

"The break-the-glass emergency plan is you can always say, 'I'm gonna trade a draft choice to the Atlanta Falcons for Kirk Cousins,'" Schefter said, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "You can always say, 'We're gonna take on some of his salary.'"

Cousins has repeatedly been linked with the Cleveland Browns, largely because he played under Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski when they were with the Vikings. However, Browns reporter Daryl Ruiter of Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan said on Monday he's now "less convinced" the club that is "transitioning to a younger roster" will trade for the 36-year-old this offseason. 

As for the Falcons, they seemingly are just fine holding onto Cousins until further notice even though he wants out because he lost his starting job to 2024 first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. this past December. Cousins has a full no-trade clause attached to his contract, so he could block a move to a team he doesn't want to join.

With that said, Cousins may have to take whatever he can get before September. The Tennessee Titans remain on track to make Miami's Cam Ward, the consensus top quarterback in this year's class, the first pick of the 2025 draft. The New York Giants, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks are among other teams that have already addressed their quarterback situations this offseason. 

McCorkle noted in a different piece that Steelers general manager Omar Khan said at the NFL owners meetings on Monday that "all options are on the table through free agency, trade or draft" regarding the club's quarterback room. Perhaps Pittsburgh and not Cleveland is the AFC North team that will essentially sell a draft pick to the Falcons for Cousins' rights.