Aaron Rodgers has been in no rush to sign with a new team in free agency, and it sounds like it could be quite a while longer before the star quarterback makes a final decision about his future.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants both reportedly want Rodgers to be their starting quarterback in 2025. Rodgers might be holding out hope that the Minnesota Vikings will enter the mix, but there has been no real indication that will happen.
Now that the first official week of free agency has come and gone, many are wondering if a Rodgers decision is imminent. On Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media said it is possible the former MVP may not sign with a team until the NFL Draft, which takes place from April 24-26.
"I don't get the sense he's in a hurry at all. I really don't. And there's no deadline for him to be. He sort of controls this thing," Rapoport said. "There's no actual deadline. So, if you're the Giants or the Vikings or the Steelers or whoever ends up signing Aaron Rodgers, if it's anyone, then you'd like (a decision) now. The next point is do you draft someone, and that's a month or so away.
"All of us would kind of like this done sooner rather than later. I don't get the sense Rodgers is in any hurry at all. Could it go all the way to the draft like it did two years ago? Maybe it could."
The Steelers and Giants probably feel they can sign a veteran quarterback like Russell Wilson at any time. New York has the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, so it is possible they are planning to draft a quarterback whether they sign Rodgers or not.
Rodgers is said to be looking for a lot of money, too. That is unlikely to scare the Steelers or the Giants away, but it could potentially become a factor in negotiations.
One would think Rodgers would have a strong idea by now of whether he prefers the Steelers or the Giants. Perhaps the 41-year-old is content to wait for a firm answer from the Vikings before committing to anyone else.
