The Aaron Rodgers saga includes a new wrinkle.
Pittsburgh placed an unrestricted free agent tender on Rodgers, a rarely used tender that affords the quarterback the opportunity to accept a 10 percent raise from his 2025 salary ($13.65 million) with the Steelers in 2026, per ESPN.
The tender also grants the Steelers free agent compensation in the form of a 2027 pick if the veteran quarterback chooses to sign elsewhere. If Rodgers does not sign with a team by July 22 (or the first scheduled day of training camp), the Steelers will own exclusive negotiating rights with the quarterback. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported that Rodgers' agent was given a "heads-up" about the tender.
In short, Pittsburgh's decision to place such a tender on Rodgers minimizes the risk of contract negotiations by establishing a salary with a slight raise, while also providing the club with some security in the event Rodgers decides he'd like to explore playing elsewhere in 2026. At this point in the offseason, the consensus expectation is that Rodgers will eventually sign with the Steelers, although there hasn't been much progress on that front over the last month.
The Steelers spent a third-round pick on Penn State quarterback Drew Allar during the 2026 NFL Draft, adding a third quarterback to a room that also includes veteran Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard. If Rodgers were to return to Pittsburgh in 2026, it's fair to expect the Steelers to consider trading Rudolph at the end of preseason action, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday.
For now, though, the Steelers have a trio of quarterbacks on the roster, filling out the position group adequately ahead of the upcoming season. They'll hope Rodgers returns to his place atop the depth chart before long. If he doesn't, they won't be left completely empty-handed.
