“That’s certainly a possibility—I’m not going to forecast the ifs and whens—I’ve enjoyed having productive talks with him.” When Mike Tomlin said these words, we thought a decision was coming soon. But it’s May, and we still don’t know if Aaron Rodgers has made up his mind. Historically speaking, this may be the longest Mike Tomlin has ever waited for a player to come around. Usually, his plans include keeping tabs all year and making quick decisions when the time comes. But it looks like A-Rod might just be Tomlin’s’ kryptonite.

Agreed, Aaron Rodgers is an MVP. And not just any NFL MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, and a champ to boot. But what is Mike Tomlin thinking? Tomlin’s Steelers lost against the veteran QB at Super Bowl XLV. Maybe it was this defeat that planted the idea of signing him with the Steelers. But as we wait for Aaron Rodgers’ decision, it doesn’t seem like the Steelers are planning to move on. And what’s more, they are holding off on a major roster move because of him, too.

The “Steelers Will Wait To Improve WR Room Until Aaron Rodgers’ Decision,” said a post on X by Steelers Depot. That’s certainly what Steelers beat writer Ray Fittipaldo believes. Fittipaldo writes, “I think they’re gonna wait to see if Aaron Rodgers signs and then – you kind of go out and fit somebody who’s gonna fit him.” And that makes sense. 

If you’re putting your hopes on a QB like Rodgers to lead your team, you certainly want him to have all the weapons he’s comfortable using. Fittipaldo further adds, “You don’t wanna just go out now and sign the biggest names out there. – There’s guys out there with good numbers, but honestly I think you wanna get the right fit for Aaron Rodgers and everyone keeps coming back to Allen Lazard. We don’t even know if he’s available yet with the Jets, but that would be a good fit.”

Allen Lazard was one of Aaron Rodgers’ key weapons in New York. But they go back even farther than that. All the way to A-Rod’s days with the Packers. If the Steelers pull the same move, they could try to get Lazard for Rodgers if he becomes available. But is that the biggest if?

And the fans are also wondering, if they want to add to Rodgers’ offense, was trading away George Pickens really that good of an idea? Because it’s not just a QB conundrum anymore. The Steelers now have a WR gap that has to be filled on top of it.

If Aaron Rodgers signs, who’s the new WR?

That’s the question, isn’t it? Let’s believe Aaron Rodgers has joined the Steelers. Who’s going to be his go-to guy? While reporters like Fittipaldo believe Allen Lazard is the prime fit, that guy’s still with the Jets. Agreed, he moved to the Jets when A-Rod made the shift, but will he be available for the switch if Rodgers comes calling?

If they don’t get Lazard, Calvin Austin III or Roman Wilson could try to bridge the gaps for Rodgers. And here’s the other thing. If the Steelers were planning to give away one of their best WRs, why didn’t they draft a new one this year? The Steelers doubled down on defense and even got themselves a young playmaker in Will Howard. Someone who could learn a lot from Rodgers’ plays. Maybe they really are waiting to see who’d be the best fit once Aaron Rodgers joins them.

And now, we circle back to the elephant in the room. The Steelers waiting for Aaron Rodgers. As owner Art Rooney II said during the NFL draft this year, “I do think we may get word soon obviously with things starting to crank up here with the offseason program etc. If he’s coming, [we] would like to get him here soon for some of that.” And every day we wait, the offseason goes by a little faster.

We are just days away from the OTAs, beginning on May 27th. September is still a long way away. But both the team, and Rodgers, will need to spend a considerable amount of time getting into the groove of each other’s playbooks. Even the new WR they will sign after Rodgers will need to double down on his own team-sync.

Some veterans believe the start of the OTAs could be the deciding bell for Rodgers. As Matt Hasselbeck pointed out, “I would circle that May 27th date as a date that, like, it would really be detrimental to be starting the missing time at that point.” Is Aaron Rodgers going to stick to this timeline? If this offseason has been any proof, both Tomlin and Rodgers are playing a long game of waiting. But in such games, whoever makes the first move decides the fate of the team. Since Mike Tomlin doesn’t seem to be making a move, all eyes, as always, will be on Rodgers.