The world continues to wait on former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The top veteran option available, Rodgers holds the NFL quarterback carousel in his hands with the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants labeled as potential suitors.
While Rodgers continues his Farveinian path, it appears that his dream scenario hit a road block. A suitor surprisingly dropped out of the running to sign the 41-year-old on Tuesday morning and it could lead to a resolution to the league’s biggest drama.
Vikings Reportedly Drop Out of Aaron Rodgers Sweepstakes
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings have decided to not pursue Rodgers at this time and plan to move forward with J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback in 2025. Pelissero also mentions that the Vikings have turned down multiple trade calls on McCarthy while Rodgers’ options are now focused on the Steelers and the Giants.
“Minnesota is still interested in adding a veteran, whether through free agency or a trade, but I am told they are not pursuing Aaron Rodgers,” Pelissero said during an appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football on Wednesday. “J.J. McCarthy now enters the offseason as QB1. For Aaron Rodgers, his immediate options now center on the Steelers and the Giants.”
It’s a situation that has played out over several weeks. Rodgers was released by the New York Jets last week and became a free agent for the first time in his career. While the Giants and Steelers have always been linked, the Vikings became a surprise suitor based on a weekend report by The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Michael Silver and Alec Lewis. The report stated that Rodgers was waiting on a decision by Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The 10th overall pick in last year’s draft, McCarthy missed the entire season after tearing his meniscus in the Vikings’ first preseason game. While Sam Darnold led Minnesota to a 14-3 season, the Vikings allowed him to sign with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason and let backup Daniel Jones leave to sign with the Indianapolis Colts.
While the Vikings have no legitimate backup plan, it makes sense for McCarthy to work through the spring, track his progress and call Rodgers in case of an emergency. The same thing happened when Brett Favre signed with the Vikings in 2009. The Vikings entered training camp with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels as their quarterbacks but Favre was brought in when both struggled through the preseason.
Such a plan would be convenient but it may not be feasible. The Steelers and Giants are trying to craft their plans at quarterback and if Rodgers takes too much time, they could turn to another option such as Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins in free agency or select a signal caller in next month’s draft. It’s also noting that The Athletic’s weekend report suggested Rodgers could retire, meaning he could be willing to wait until later in the summer to get the Vikings answer.
For a quarterback who skipped mandatory minicamp for an Egyptian vacation last summer, having no such commitments may seem like a dream. But it appears the Vikings have made their decision and the NFL is waiting on Rodgers to make his.