As we edge closer to the NFL Draft on April 23rd, the league is bracing for a seismic shift in power. While most of the pre-draft chatter is centered on the Las Vegas Raiders likely locking in National Champion Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, the veteran quarterback market is arguably providing more drama.
Mendoza enters a franchise desperate for a spark, having secured only two playoff appearances since their Super Bowl loss in 2002. However, the rookie won’t be thrown into the fire alone; he’ll have Kirk Cousins as a mentor. Cousins, 37, was unexpectedly released by the Atlanta Falcons last month, just two years into a massive four-year, $168 million deal, and is now set to reunite with head coach Klint Kubiak in Vegas.
Kubiak, coming off a Super Bowl victory with the Seahawks, previously spent three seasons coaching Cousins with the Vikings, making this one of the most intriguing “veteran-rookie” dynamics in the league.
The Quarterback Carousel: Is Aaron Rodgers Staying in Steel City?
With Cousins now off the board, the focus shifts to the AFC North. According to recent reports from Mike Florio, the Pittsburgh Steelers are becoming the frontrunners to land Aaron Rodgers. The move makes sense from a personnel standpoint, especially considering the current state of the Pittsburgh quarterback room.
Currently, the depth chart features Mason Rudolph, who has proven to be a reliable but average backup, and Will Howard. While Howard is a 2024 National Champion and clearly represents the long-term future in the Steel City, the consensus among scouts and the front office is that he needs at least one more year of seasoning before taking the reigns.
Rodgers would provide the immediate “win-now” window the franchise has been craving. After Cousins chose the Raiders, the options for veteran leadership in the NFL are thinning out, and Pittsburgh seems willing to gamble on a legend. The intrigue here isn’t just about the roster fit, but the potential for a historic reunion that could redefine the end of Rodgers’ career.
A Super Bowl Reunion: Mike McCarthy and Rodgers’ Last Stand
The biggest storyline in Pittsburgh, however, is the man holding the clipboard. After 19 legendary years under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have entered a new era with Mike McCarthy. The connection is impossible to ignore: McCarthy and Rodgers won a Super Bowl together in 2010 during their long tenure in Green Bay. Now, McCarthy must decide if he wants to run it back for a 14th season together.
The Steelers’ offense certainly looks more dangerous on paper than it did a year ago, thanks to the additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Rico Dowdle, giving any incoming quarterback a legitimate arsenal of weapons. But the move comes with significant risk. If Rodgers doesn’t return to elite form, his final memory in the league will be that devastating pick-six against Houston in last season’s playoffs.
We aren’t looking at the “prime” version of the man who won four MVPs; at 42 years old, Rodgers hasn’t eclipsed 4,000 passing yards or 30 touchdowns since 2021. The question for Steelers fans isn’t just one of nostalgia-it’s a calculated bet on whether there is any magic left in that right arm to lead a deep postseason run.
