Steelers 'bought themselves some time' while waiting for Aaron Rodgers' decision

Despite already signing a quarterback, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still the favorites to land Aaron Rodgers. Right off the bat, this appears to be something that could drag on forever like the Brandon Aiyuk saga did in the 2024 offseason. The rumor mill has been working hard to figure out exactly what Rodgers' plan is via supposed cryptic photos, team sources and national reporters. At the end of the day, there is no telling if or when the 41-year-old will actually sign a contract with a team. 

NFL Insider Tom Pelissero made an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" to talk about the whole debacle. He brought up the fact that the Steelers at least made some provisions in case Rodgers waits until training camp to sign, or if he never ends up being their quarterback.

"The Steelers, by virtue of signing Mason Rudolph, bought themselves some time here because now -- worst-case, if this doesn't work out with Rodgers, you could roll with Mason Rudolph who, let's be honest, over the last several years with all the quarterback changes since Ben Roethlisberger retired, probably the best stretch of football they've played as an offense was down the stretch in 2023 when Mason Rudolph took over," said Pelissero.

The Steelers have seemingly struggled with utilizing a backup plan in recent years, but they managed to do so this time by bringing in a scheme fit that knows how the team operates. Mason Rudolph spent his first six seasons in Pittsburgh before platooning with Will Levis for the Tennessee Titans' starting quarterback gig. 

If the Steelers do sign Rodgers, then Rudolph would most likely become the backup. Pittsburgh is expected to give the older passer a large payday to bring him in to start, while the younger one came for just $8 million over the span of two years. Teams don't give out $30 million+ per year to players to have them sit on the bench.

Steelers possibly already got the best option left available

One of Rudolph's greatest strengths throughout his career has been his ability to throw the ball deep. The Steelers traded for DK Metcalf to pair with George Pickens, and they play the same style of receiver: go deep and make the defender look bad. While it may be a very simple scheme, it is a fit for all parties involved. 

Rudolph and Pickens developed a great connection at the end of 2023, when the offense exploded to end the season with a three-game winning streak. Their first full game together resulted in Pickens putting up Randy Moss-like numbers as the team blew out the Cincinnati Bengals during Christmas weekend. 

Russell Wilson also has that deep-ball ability, but he doesn't seem to work well with the Steelers' brass. There were rumors swirling about one party being upset at the other, which led to the team moving in a different direction altogether. He is also significantly older than Rudolph and on the downswing of his career.

Once Justin Fields and Sam Darnold were signed by other teams, the quality options available for the Steelers were very slim. Rodgers immediately became linked to Pittsburgh as the top option once that happened just because he was the biggest name in a free agency pool that lacked a ton of talent.

When in doubt, go for the player that understands how the team works internally. Who knows if Rudolph will be a starting-caliber quarterback in 2025, but he is in the best place to prove that he can. If the Steelers don't sign Rodgers, they at least have someone they trust running the offense.