The Steelers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers are negotiating. At this point, they both need each other. And they each could be overplaying their hand.
Pittsburgh has no viable alternative to Rodgers, unless the Falcons change their minds about not trading Kirk Cousins. Russell Wilson, despite the great things he has done in his career, likely isn’t the answer to this question: “How do we finally win another playoff game?”
But Rodgers has no viable alternative to Pittsburgh, if he hopes to not go out like the last shot from a Roman candle. Unless the Vikings decide to complete the Favre cycle, it’s the Giants and 7-10 at best or the Steelers and a likely trip to the playoffs.
What will it take to get it done? Is the magic number $45 million per year? $40 million? The quarterback market has spiked in recent years, and it would seem to be difficult to justify Rodgers taking less than $45 million per year, at a time when 14 quarterbacks are making that much or more.
The problem for Rodgers is that it was widely believed he’d take a low-end deal with the Rams, if Matthew Stafford had left. Regardless of whether Rodgers would have been a bargain if he’d been able to play in Southern California, the Steelers have a clear need. But they seem to be hoping to go cheap at the quarterback position, like they were able to do a year ago when they paid Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen — combined — less than what Mason Rudolph got in Tennessee.
The cap keeps going up. The cash keeps going up. The market keeps going up. There’s a big, but fair, number that works for both sides, if they truly want to partner up. If they can’t agree on money, maybe they truly don’t.
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