NFL Rumors: Inside Aaron Rodgers retirement decision and AJ Brown's timeline

We have arrived at a relative dead zone for NFL happenings post-Super Bowl. As the high of Seattle's victory (or the sorrow of New England's loss) wears off, however, the gears will begin to turn on this offseason.

Pittsburgh is stuck in another holding pattern with Aaron Rodgers as he considers retirement. The Eagles may need to jump ship on the A.J. Brown experience. Jacksonville finally has a concrete gameplan for Travis Hunter after a truncated rookie season. Let's dive into all the latest NFL rumors:

Jaguars determine Travis Hunter's role moving forward

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved heaven and earth to acquire the No. 2 overall pick and the right to select Travis Hunter in the 2025 NFL Draft. The early returns were... less than ideal. A superhuman two-way star on paper, Hunter struggled to find a consistent role on either side of the football before an injury cut his debut campaign short.

Hunter recorded 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown in seven games (four starts), averaging 10.6 yards per catch. He was less involved on defense, but Jacksonville's current roster construction mandates change. The Jags need to find a stable, sustainable role for Hunter. It would appear that Liam Coen and the coaching staff have arrived at a destination.

The expectation is that Hunter will play full-time cornerback and part-time receiver next season, per NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.

Hunter was an electric wide receiver in college — it's where the majority of his highlights occurred at Colorado, naturally — but he always graded out as a superior corner. The Jags clearly gave up the assets they did in hopes of deploying Hunter regularly at both receiver and corner, but it's just too much on his plate in the NFL.

Jacksonville has an inexperienced defensive back room in need of a facelift. Hunter should quickly round into form as a suffocating, franchise-type defender. That's still in the cards for him. Expect a more situational offensive role moving forward. He won't be a top target, or even a regular, but when the right moment arises, Hunter is still a tool in Liam Coen's back pocket. That speed and coordination still plays.

This Jags team is better than so many folks realize. If Hunter can start to actualize his potential in a more suitable role, Jacksonville won't be going anywhere in a wide-open AFC.

Eagles expected to 'entertain' A.J. Brown trade

This past season played as a protracted cry for help from A.J. Brown, who was consistently displeased with his usage in Kevin Patullo's ultra-conservative Philadelphia Eagles offense. The hire of new OC Sean Mannion brings about some optimism in the City of Brotherly Love, but Brown spent too much time butting heads with Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni — both behind the scenes and in plain view of the camera — to stay out of trade rumors.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, "Philadelphia has not made any firm determination yet on the future of A.J. Brown." It sure sounds like foundational change could be on the horizon, though.

"But some executives I've talked to around the league have long believed that Philly this offseason would entertain a trade because he'd have a robust market, strong value, top receiver still and he's only 28 years old," Fowler said on SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report). "So, teams will probably inquire here soon coming up. You've got the NFL combine in a few weeks, that is a matter that can heat up."

Brown still put up 1,003 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games last season, averaging 12.9 yards per catch. Given the scale of discourse around his role and his satisifaction within Philadelphia's scheme, those are commendable numbers. It also represents the low point in Brown's historic career. At 28 years old, and with a potential out on his contract after this season, now would be the time for the Eagles to strongly consider a divorce.

It's not like Brown's $23.3 million cap hit is egregious relative to his talent, so there's no immediate pressure on Philadelphia to move him. The Eagles maintain plenty of leverage and can more than justify running it back with a new playcaller and, hopefully, some better vibes.

Given how frequent the distractions were last season, however, and given the presence of a ready-made WR1 already on the roster in DeVonta Smith, this could be an opportune moment for Howie Roseman to work his magic. He can flip Brown for significant draft capital and reallocate those assets elsewhere. No GM is more capable of extracting value on a roster's margins. The Eagles can survive life without Brown, if that's the path Philly goes down.

Aaron Rodgers expected to 'take his time' deciding Steelers future

The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again caught in QB limbo as Aaron Rodgers ponders his NFL future. The 42-year-old will consider retirement for the second straight offseason, but he remains "open" to a Pittsburgh return, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"Aaron Rodgers tends to take his time on such matters, so I don't expect a swift resolution, but head coach Mike McCarthy likes Aaron Rodgers of course from his time in Green Bay," Fowler said on SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report). "He is a bridge option for them. They've looked hard at quarterbacks in the 2026 draft, so they certainly could draft one. They like Will Howard, their backup, former late-round pick. But look, Rodgers was rejuvenated last year coming out of Pittsburgh. He loved his teammates, loved being there. So, certainly there's an option for them to come together once again."

Rodgers put up solid numbers in his first and maybe final Steelers season, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. When Mike Tomlin suddenly stepped down after a first-round postseason exit, it felt like Rodgers' future was hanging in the balance. Then Pittsburgh hired Mike McCarthy, Rodgers' long-time coach in Green Bay, to replace Tomlin. Suddenly, it felt like the Steelers were angling for a reunion.

This reporting mostly echoes last offseason, when Rodgers spent many months out of the public eye, deathly silent on his future plans, only to sign with Pittsburgh at the last second. He could take a similar approach this spring, hitting the darkness retreat, plumbing the depths of his soul, and perchance monitoring what other moves the Steelers make. We know Rodgers did not take kindly to Green Bay drafting Jordan Love as his next-in-line. If Pittsburgh takes a first-round quarterback in April's NFL Draft, one can't help but wonder if that influences the four-time MVP's ultimate decision.

No matter how the cookie crumbles, Pittsburgh needs to settle on a quarterback plan as soon as possible. Or at least bake in the necessary contingencies. If Rodgers waits until all other free agents are off the board, and if the Steelers punt on drafting a new franchise quarterback, only for the veteran to hang 'em up — well, that would be bad. The Steelers don't want to get left holding the bag.