Former GM shares advice for Aaron Rodgers following Steelers' trade of George Pickens

According to ESPN's Brooke Pryor and other in-the-know individuals, the Pittsburgh Steelers agreeing to trade wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday likely won't "impact the Steelers' recruitment of" quarterback and free agent Aaron Rodgers. 

During a Wednesday appearance on Pittsburgh sports radio station 93.7 The Fan, former NFL general manager/Steelers executive Doug Whaley explained why he thinks Rodgers shouldn't sign with the club following the Pickens trade. 

"You want to reclaim your pecking order as one of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history," Whaley said about Rodgers, as shared by Jake Brockhoff of Steelers Depot. "And you don't want to go out on a team that just doesn't have the ammunition around you to help you reach that goal. ...He knows he needs some other pieces around him for him to elevate his game."

Coming off the torn Achilles he suffered in September 2023, Rodgers dealt with numerous physical setbacks and also largely looked like a shell of his former great self with the New York Jets this past season. It appeared when Pittsburgh acquired DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason that Metcalf and Pickens would give Rodgers a dynamic one-two punch of offensive playmakers, but that won't be the case following Wednesday's developments. 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio is among those who suggested on Wednesday that Pickens' behavior from the fall of 2023 through the end of the 2024 season caused head coach Mike Tomlin to want to move on from the 24-year-old who is in the final year of his rookie contract. While that's understandable, former NFL general manager and current ESPN personality Mike Tannenbaum noted that Pittsburgh can't simply find a like-for-like replacement for Pickens via a trade or free agency.

"That feels like an all-in move," Tannenbaum said during a Wednesday appearance on "SportsCenter" about the Steelers handing Metcalf a five-year contract worth $150M, per Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. "...But now, when you look at their skill players beyond DK Metcalf, you have more questions than answers."

As much as Rodgers may want to once again be reunited with old friend and current Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard, Lazard's play over the past two seasons indicates he can't match what Pickens could've offered the 2025 Steelers. That said, Pittsburgh seems to be the only team seriously interested in signing Rodgers following the draft. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Steelers at -175 betting odds to miss the playoffs. At the age of 41, Rodgers may decide he'd rather retire than join a team that many insiders feel can't win a championship with or without his help.