The Pittsburgh Steelers may have been the frontrunners to land Aaron Rodgers in free agency when their only competition was the 3-14 New York Giants. However, the entrance of the Minnesota Vikings into the equation has rendered every outcome less certain.
As Minnesota continues to mull its options, which Rodgers has been clear he will allow the franchise adequate time to do, the four-time MVP quarterback has also made his asking price clear.
“Rodgers, in the wake of his release by the New York Jets, is seeking an annual salary in the same general range as [Sam] Darnold’s — though that’s not expected to be a major stumbling block,” Michael Silver, Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis of The Athletic co-reported on Saturday, March 15.
Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Darnold earned a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, which equates to $33.5 million annually. Pittsburgh can afford to pay Rodgers that salary and may even be willing to offer him a second year if that puts the team over the hump in a bidding war with the Vikings, who also made the playoffs and exited in the first round last season.
However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Saturday that Pittsburgh is among three teams with ties to former Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco. Flacco most recently played for the Indianapolis Colts and has 45,697 passing yards, 257 career touchdowns and a 105-86 regular-season record as a starter on his NFL resumé.
“Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are getting the headlines. Joe Flacco is waiting patiently to see how it plays out,” Florio wrote. “Flacco recently visited the Giants. He’s in play, we’re told, for jobs with the Steelers, Browns, and Vikings.”
Florio added precisely why Flacco might make more sense for Pittsburgh than Rodgers, particularly considering that the latter could ask for at least a partially guaranteed second year, which would come with all sorts of concerns about age, health, performance and the team’s salary cap situation.
“[Flacco] has shown that he loves football. He fully intends to take a job this season, somewhere. And he likely won’t be expensive; he made $4.5 million last year,” Florio continued. “Eventually, he’ll get an offer. Maybe more than one. And if the Steelers are looking to go cheaper than Rodgers at the position, Flacco could be their best move.”
