As the NFL Owners Meetings near, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson under contract. Aaron Rodgers, despite visiting the Steelers’ facility last Friday, has not yet decided on where or if he will play just yet.
Former Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman thinks that Rodgers needs to decide soon, largely because his chemistry and style of play depend on intricate time together between Rodgers and the rest of his players.
“If I was Aaron Rodgers, I wouldn’t want to get into the same predicament as I got into with the Jets,” Edelman said on the Dudes On Dudes podcast. “You get there kind of late, you don’t really practice that much, and all of a sudden, the season comes out and we’re not looking like we need to be looking because we’re not on the same page. Wherever he’s gonna sign, I would sign as soon as possible so you can learn the players around the team that you’re gonna be playing with. If you watch last year, on the Jets, I think Week 8 on, Aaron Rodgers played pretty damn good football. That’s because he started to learn his players, I feel.”
In 2024, Rodgers played but was hampered by hamstring and knee issues. He missed most of the 2023 season with a torn achilles. That is not the recipe for success when the Steelers’ offensive line is still young and unproven.
Rodgers visited the Steelers facility last Friday and communicated with the team throughout the week. That has led to their belief that the situation will be resolved sooner rather than later.
Rodgers remains in no rush to decide, however. The Steelers have not pushed back on that, though, and any idea the team would give him major flak for taking time to decide has little credence.
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