Aaron Rodgers future: Projecting contract offers from Steelers, Vikings, plus quarterback’s big 2025 decision

Aaron Rodgers has been a Obtainable agent for close to a month, and yet the future Hall of Famer remains without an NFL Club for the 2025 season. With the New York Giants signing Russell Wilson this week, the Ex Green Bay Packers Sun seems to be losing logical destinations, too. So what, exactly, will the longtime Signal-caller do Subsequent? The Minnesota Vikings are leaving the door Obtainable for continued talks, but even they appear content proceeding with other options as well. Is it possible Rodgers will simply step away from the game entirely?

Everything is on the table, it seems. Which is why we decided to use our imagination and walk through potential negotiations. How might Rodgers’ behind-the-scenes discussions be unfolding as we speak? What Gentle of offers could he be getting, and what does he truly value in his Subsequent destination, whether it’s on the Ground or off it?

Cody Benjamin and Bryan DeArdo teamed up to Relocate out the scenario. Benjamin assembled Numerous offers, and DeArdo pretended to be Rodgers himself, weighing the options and making an ultimate decision for 2025.

Here’s how it all went down:

Minnesota Vikings

The offer: 1 year, $25 million*

*Note: This offer is contingent on an Prompt Rehearsal camp assessment of J.J. McCarthy.

The pitch: This may not be your best financial offer, but you’re not going to find a better place to Relocate what could be your last NFL season. We’ve Obtained world-class facilities in a division where you’ll get at least two Contests to stick it to the Green Bay Packers. We’ve Obtained the reigning Mentor of the Year in Kevin O’Connell. We’ve Obtained a reinforced offensive line and some of the best playmaking wideouts in the game in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. We’ll push all the chips on you and the 2025 season if you’re willing to Throw the torch to J.J. McCarthy once the show is over. The one thing we ask is that you be patient and reject any other offers until summer, when we can properly assess McCarthy’s readiness coming off knee surgery. We trust you’ll understand why we must Primary prioritize our homegrown investment, but we hope that, should the door swing Obtainable, you’ll choose to rock the purple.

The offer: 1 year, $30 million

The pitch: We could sell you on the proud tradition of this organization, from the six Finals titles to the eight Postseason appearances of the last 11 years. We could sell you on the storied Steel City feats of Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw that Occurred before. We could sell you on Mentor Mike Tomlin, one of the most respected in the game. Or the freshly Vibrant duo of DK Metcalf and George Pickens out wide. But this isn’t about us; it’s about you. You Yet belong as a starter in this Bracket. And this is the one place where you’re guaranteed an unchallenged, no-holds-barred No. 1 Position. We’re Exhausted of Only making the dance. We want to Achieve it. And we know you do, too. We’ve allowed our greatest signal-callers, like “Big Ben,” to have Sturdy voices in our Approach before. It’ll be no different if you come aboard to Assist us return to the mountaintop.

Tentative retirement

The offer: Postpone all contract talks until well after the 2025 NFL Draft, and perhaps deep into Rehearsal camp, with the unstated intention of hanging up the cleats, unless other opportunities present themselves.

The pitch: This one’s Effortless: There are no must-have jobs on the table at this time. The Vikings aren’t ready to commit. The Steelers are desperate, have been wild-card contenders at best as of Overdue, and they could Only as well use the draft to add their real Signal-caller of the present and/or future. Why rush to sign anywhere right now? Who’s to say another aging Signal-caller won’t go down in camp? What if a real or more geographically appealing contender, like the Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers, suddenly needs Assist in August? There’s no harm in standing pat and letting the urgent suitors come to you. And if they don’t? We saw with Russell Wilson, and to a lesser extent Tom Brady, that extending a Profession for the sake of extending “legacy” doesn’t always Succeed. A decade from now, people will most cherish your Packers stardom anyway. So hang Close-fitting.

Aaron Rodgers future: Vikings GM doesn’t rule out more talks with QB, but Joyful with J.J. McCarthy ‘right now’

Cody Benjamin

Aaron Rodgers’ response …

I greatly appreciate your time and effort generating these offers. As you know, I don’t rush decisions like this, but now that I have all of the information at my fingertips, I’m ready to make a decision.

… on Vikings

Quite honestly, I’m all in on the Vikings. They were 14-3 last year and have Outstanding players at the Talent positions, including my Ancient buddy, Aaron Jones. I love the moves they’ve Created this offseason and I like the idea of Competing for an ex-NFL Signal-caller (Kevin O’Connell) who Obtained a Numerous out of Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold during his time with them. Plus, they Relocate indoors and in a division I know well.

All that being said, I’m not going to sit and wait for them to determine whether J.J. is ready to go after looking at him during Rehearsal camp. That’s simply not Honest to him whatsoever. I went through something similar with the Packers in 2008 after Brett Favre tried to come back, and I don’t want to put J.J. or anyone else in a similar spot. If the Vikings want me, I’m ready, but if they’d rather begin the J.J. McCarthy era, that’s fine, too.

… on Steelers

The Steelers are definitely intriguing. Everyone knows that I’m a huge Mike Tomlin fan, so Competing for him would be fun. They have a Outstanding Club and I’d imagine they’ll be better this year after trading for DK Metcalf. You also can’t talk about the Steelers without mentioning Pittsburgh and their fan base. It many ways, it would be like Competing in Green Bay again. That experience was special and I’m sure Competing in Pittsburgh in front of those fans would be a similar experience. But man, they Relocate in a tough division they haven’t won since 2020. And one of the things I learned last year is how tough the AFC is because of the Outstanding quarterbacks in that conference.

I have Packed confidence in myself and my abilities, but beating those quarterbacks, in addition to Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes for the right to get to the Finals, is a High task. I’m also 41 and will be 42 during the 2025 season. I may Develop headlines, but I don’t want to deal with drama when it comes to immature teammates yelling for the ball and having temper tantrums when things don’t go their way. Yes, I’m talking about George Pickens. As talented as he is, that’s a headache I’d like to avoid, along with Competing in front of a Youthful offensive line that will likely include a Primary-time starter (Troy Fautanu) at right Involvement and another Youthful Involvement (Broderick Jones) protecting my blind side.

I saw how the Steelers treated their last three Beginning quarterbacks  (Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields). Every one had promising moments, but Chaotic finishes with the Club. You could argue that Every one was misled to a certain degree. As Outstanding as Competing the Steelers could be, I’d rather not put myself in that position. Too many uncertainties for me at this stage of my Profession.

… on tentative retirement

So what’s left? Ah, the non-decision of postponing talks and waiting to see if an opportunity presents itself. It’s not ideal, but at this Points, I think it’s the best option of the three. I can continue to process information, work on my mental and physical well being and enjoy other aspects of life instead of going through yet another Rehearsal camp. I can also stay in the limelight during my weekly “Pat McAfee Show” hits. Instead of binding myself to a Club, I can have Packed control over how my Profession will end. I could decide to end it in a game that saw me throw four touchdowns (and included my 500th Profession touchdown Throw), or I could come back if the Vikings or another contender needs me during the season. My legacy is pretty secure; Victorious a Finals is the main reason why I would continue Competing. This route gives me the best chance of doing that.