The above headline seems far fetched, but Aaron Rodgers ending up in Arizona is not completely out of the question. Could the Arizona Cardinals be a good landing spot for Rodgers? Or will he end up staying with the Pittsburgh Steelers?
According to John Breech of CBS Sports, the Steelers are worried that Aaron Rodgers may be looking at other teams as options. He also seems to think that the Cardinals could be a good landing spot for the veteran quarterback.
“Looking around the NFL, there aren’t too many teams in need of a starting quarterback at this point, but there’s definitely one intriguing option: The Arizona Cardinals.
At this point, their QB situation is still up in the air. Going into April, Jacoby Brissett appeared to have the inside track, but he’s skipping the team’s voluntary workouts because he wants to be paid like a starter. Instead of giving Brissett more money, the Cardinals could simply call Rodgers and offer that money to him.”
Arizona Cardinals Named as Surprise Option for Aaron Rodgers
Why Is Arizona Even in the Discussion?
The fact that the Cardinals are being discussed as a landing spot for Rodgers shows you that Pittsburgh’s concern with Rodgers potentially looking elsewhere isn’t 100% secured. When a situation goes on for this long, ideas like this begin floating around and getting traction. That’s when you begin to hear names like the Arizona Cardinals as a potential landing spot for Aaron Rodgers.
Then look at Arizona’s QB situation. It’s not exactly “settled.” Jacoby Brissett’s voluntary workout skip on contract expectations just adds one more dimension to that. It doesn’t mean they’re completely open, but it certainly gives you some wiggle room to speculate about things. When the door is just cracked open even slightly it could be blown off its hinges later.
Would Arizona Make Logical Sense?
On a superficial level, it’s at least easy to see the reasoning. The Cardinals are already working through contract issues with their QB situation; why not look for a bigger name than a long-term, low-value bridge option? It’s an idea that doesn’t seem absurd when spoken aloud, especially with a veteran like Rodgers lingering on the market.
This is where the argument naturally devolves into something more nuanced, however. Arizona is not a team poised for a veteran quarterback push during the short remainder of their career. This is a roster in transition, building young talent and looking toward the future. That doesn’t really align with Rodgers at his stage.
What Is the Best Landing Spot for Rodgers?
The longer this goes on, the more we should all be convinced it that Pittsburgh is still the best landing spot for Rodgers. The mold already fits for him there. An established defense, familiarity at the head coaching position and a roster that doesn’t require a complete teardown and rebuilding around Rodgers. This is not a place Rodgers would need to prove all of the right people wrong on day one. It is a place where he could fit in rather than completely transform the franchise.
The other issue for Rodgers is the immediate factor. He doesn’t have the ability to take a year to adapt and have pieces fit around him for future success. Rodgers needs a situation that will work right away, and Pittsburgh gives him the best opportunity right now. He would be put into a position where he could work right away for a team that already has potential to win rather than become a competitive team at some point in the future. It is not going to be the most flashy destination for Rodgers, but it has more boxes checked off than any other currently discussed location.
