It is all going according to plan for Aaron Rodgers and his camp. While he did take a visit on Friday to the Pittsburgh Steelers facility, the future first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer remains unsigned for a very good reason: His agent David Dunn is telling him to be patient. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio wrote that Rodgers is using patience as leverage to help him get a higher deal later down the road.
While so many poorly run teams operate with a crashing sense of urgency in the first few waves of NFL free agency, sometimes being patient helps more well-run teams come out on top. It is why we are talking about teams like the Steelers more and more than ones who spent all of their money early like the New England Patriots did. In time, I would expect that Rodgers will end up going to Pittsburgh.
Why do I believe this? Well, for starters, Rodgers can join a playoff-caliber team with an outside shot at a Super Bowl run in the twilight of his illustrious career. Pittsburgh wins at least nine games every year. They have a great defense and a questionable offense. Maybe Rodgers can make them better? The Steelers also did not send anyone to Michgan's Pro Day so they could court Rodgers on Friday.
Pittsburgh has already given Rodgers and Dunn an offer, but they want more money to join them.
Aaron Rodgers is playing the long game to get more money in free agency
What we are beginning to realize is not every team can play the long game for as long as Rodgers can. We saw the New York Giants essentially cave by signing former Cleveland Browns backup Jameis Winston to a two-year deal. While it means they may be a candidate to draft Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado at No. 3 overall, technically New York is not out of the Rodgers sweepstakes just yet.
To me, Rodgers is either going to play for the Steelers next season or he is going to retire. It should be that simple, but it really is not. He and Dunn are trying to create leverage around the uncertainty surrounding J.J. McCarthy in his first year as the Minnesota Vikings starter. Keep in mind that Cleveland and the Tennessee Titans picking at the top of the draft are still unsettled at quarterback.
Ultimately, Rodgers has leverage until the moment Russell Wilson shockingly re-ups with the Steelers. If he does, then what does that say? It probably says that the Steelers are more content with leaving well enough alone than we thought. As for Rodgers, it means the end of the line. The next time we will hear from him will be in six years when he is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The absolute last thing Rodgers and Dunn want to happen is for Wilson to be returning to Pittsburgh.