The Aaron Rodgers saga has finally come to a conclusion, as the team opted to bring back the veteran quarterback. After much speculation, this team finally knows who will be its starting quarterback in 2026.
Along with Rodgers comes a notable pay raise, as he can make up to $25 million this season.
Frankly, it feels steep. You know what you are getting with Rodgers at this point, and it isn’t much. He can command a team still, but his failing physical traits make it hard to imagine doing any better than you did last year.
Given the cost increase, it feels like a weird choice for the team. Given the cost of the top quarterback option this offseason in Malik Willis, it feels like the wrong choice.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sticking with mediocrity with Aaron Rodgers
Essentially, the Steelers and Dolphins are paying Rodgers and Willis the same amount per year. Willis comes with more commitment; his deal locks him to Miami for both this season and next, but neither breaks the bank.
So why wait so long for Rodgers? Simply put, he is the safer option for this team. While he may not turn this team into a powerhouse, he won’t collapse either.
Willis is the opposite. He showed a lot of development in Green Bay and could be a player on the rise. The downside is that if he can’t maintain that, he will likely bottom out.
Pittsburgh wanted to protect itself from that downside. It feels so conservative, as this team is so frightened of losing.
Had they signed Willis, the Steelers would have a legitimate boom candidate at quarterback. You would also have gotten a third-round selection back, as Drew Allar wouldn’t have needed to be the pick.
Instead, the Steelers stay stuck in the same cycle they have been in for years. Rodgers will give them a winning season and maybe even a trip to the playoffs. He won’t be good enough to go much farther, and he won’t be bad enough to land this team a top pick.
That means they will go into the next offseason with two young and inexperienced quarterbacks and no great draft pick to acquire a franchise option.
Had Rodgers signed for cheap again, that is one thing. However, his pay bump looks all the worse for the team as they continue to run in circles.
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