The Aaron Rodgers waiting game continued Sunday, with multiple teams eagerly trying to snag his signature. The four-time NFL MVP is reportedly trying to court the Minnesota Vikings, seemingly indicating that completing the Brett Favre story arc is his preferred route.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants are the other two teams heavily interested in Rodgers' services. But are they willing to shell out a pretty penny to make it happen?
According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Michael Silver and Alec Lewis, Rodgers is asking for a contract similar to that which former Vikings QB Sam Darnold received from the Seattle Seahawks (three years, $100.5 million).
Is Aaron Rodgers holding all the cards or is his price tag too luxurious for Steelers, Giants?
It's hard to think Minnesota will actually entertain a demand such as that when it already has a promising young passer in J.J. McCarthy on the road to start in 2025. Rodgers' interest in heading to Minneapolis could very well be just a market ploy to drive up his price between Pittsburgh and New York.
That's going to be a double-edged sword, however. Starting a bidding war could definitely be in Rodgers' interest, but Steelers general manager Omar Khan and Giants front office boss Joe Schoen are not stupid (well, the jury is still out on Schoen after that Saquon Barkley decision).
Pittsburgh could still bring back Russell Wilson on a much more team-friendly deal. New York has also spoken with the Super Bowl XLVIII champion, as well as Super Bowl XLVII champion QB Joe Flacco. Rodgers is clearly the best option in a vacuum, but there are serviceable (read cheaper) options for both teams that could leave Rodgers out in the cold (just not in Minnesota).
New York also selects No. 3 overall in the upcoming draft. There's still the possibility Schoen trades up with the Tennessee Titans to pick first overall, presumably for Miami QB Cam Ward, or find a way to turn his draft capital into something useful elsewhere on the roster.
It'll be interesting to see this all play out but the longer it goes on, the less likely Rodgers is going to have all the leverage.