A recent report indicated that the Pittsburgh Steelers may “begin to take a look at different choices” if quarterback Aaron Rodgers stays a free agent when gamers arrive for training-camp practices in July.
It seems like some folks throughout the Steelers are making ready for the chance that the membership might have to achieve out to the Atlanta Falcons a couple of commerce for veteran Kirk Cousins sooner quite than later.
“After I test with folks there, I kinda hear the identical factor — ‘We stay optimistic,'” league insider Jeremy Fowler mentioned throughout Monday’s version of the ESPN “NFL Dwell” program about Pittsburgh’s quarterback state of affairs, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. “I do sense Cousins is, on the very least, a plan B for them, that he is on their radar relying on how issues go in [organized team activities] with what they presently have.”
It appears unlikely that longtime backup Mason Rudolph may carry out properly sufficient from Tuesday by means of the tip of Pittsburgh’s three-day necessary minicamp on June 12 to persuade head coach Mike Tomlin that neither Rodgers nor Cousins could be an improve for the membership.
Fowler supplied his replace after NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero mentioned forward of this previous weekend that Rodgers had “not affirmatively instructed the Steelers that he’s coming” as of that point. As for Cousins, he seemingly would not need to function a backup for Michael Penix Jr. after the 2024 first-round draft decide turned Atlanta’s full-time QB1 this previous December.
Together with giving up not less than a draft asset to amass Cousins, Pittsburgh may also have “to pay a good portion of” the wage connected to the four-year, $180M deal the 36-year-old signed in March 2024. That mentioned, such a commerce might not value Pittsburgh a lot, contemplating Cousins reportedly has “change into an out-of-sight, out-of-mind factor for the” Falcons this spring.
There was no signal as of the morning of June 3 that some other crew was near buying Cousins, which means Pittsburgh may proceed to attend to listen to from Rodgers till additional discover. Sooner or later, although, one wonders if Tomlin and normal supervisor Omar Khan may decide that Rodgers is not as dedicated to serving to the 2025 Steelers win video games as a model of Cousins who most likely has a chip on his shoulder could be come September.
