The Pittsburgh Steelers do not yet have an answer to a very important question mere days before the start of the NFL Draft. The team doesn't know if Aaron Rodgers will return for a second season.
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The news surfaced on Monday as the AFC North team prepared to kick off minicamp under new head coach Mike McCarthy. Multiple NFL insiders reported that the Steelers have not received information from Rodgers about his future.
The expectation is that Rodgers will not provide an answer before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage on Thursday night to put the Las Vegas Raiders on the clock and officially start the first round.
The only quarterbacks on the roster currently are veteran Mason Rudolph and second-year pro Will Howard. Howard will start minicamp atop the depth chart.
The NFL Draft could provide the Steelers with an opportunity to continue building out the quarterback room, but this is not a high-profile class. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is the top player at the position, but the expectation is that he will go to the Raiders with the first pick.
Other quarterbacks in this class include Alabama's Ty Simpson, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State's Drew Allar, Miami's Carson Beck, Arkansas' Taylen Green, and Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia among others.
The Steelers have plenty of picks available to take a chance on one of these quarterbacks if the team deems it necessary. The team has 12 picks in seven rounds, including the 21st overall pick and the 53rd overall pick.
The Steelers have three picks in the third round, two in the fourth round, one in the fifth round, one in the sixth round, and three in the seventh round.
Rodgers joined the Steelers last season after two years with the Jets. He started 16 games and led the team to the playoffs. He threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Although he accounted for three turnovers during a wild-card round loss to the Texans.
Rodgers told Pat McAfee over the offseason that he is open to playing for the Steelers again. He said that the team hasn't given him a deadline to make a decision about his future.
McCarthy, who coached Rodgers in Green Bay, made it clear that he thinks it would be a "great story" to work with the veteran once again. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward also showed his support during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, saying "He's worn the back and gold. Just return, baby. That's all we need."
