2 weeks Ago
PALM BEACH, Fla. and PITTSBURGH -- The annual league meetings took place in Palm Beach last week to hash out new league rules and set the table for the NFL Draft . On top of that, the Pittsburgh Steelers and other teams had their top brass in attendance to catch up and sit at the table.
Meanwhile, the pre-draft visits continue to roll in With all the top brass in attendance, what was the scuttlebutt coming out of the league meetings and its fallout? Here are some things I heard while down in Florida and in the week since. Aaron Rodgers Buzz The main topic was Aaron Rodgers , and it came from a few fronts, but let’s start with the biggest takeaway -- the Steelers are extremely confident Rodgers will sign on the dotted line. Sources tell PennLive the Steelers and Rodgers have constantly communicated with one another since his visit to Pittsburgh three weeks ago.
Two sources described Rodgers as ‘actively engaged’ and said he has taken the initiative to drive interest. The more interesting nugget I picked up was how his visit with the Steelers even came to be. Rodgers called the Steelers on a whim to set it up, with his travel already booked to Pittsburgh, sources told PennLive.
Pittsburgh adjusted plans, which included Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan heading to Michigan Pro Day, to stay in Pittsburgh for the impromptu visit that Rodgers put together. Rodgers also asked for DK Metcalf’s number to put together their workout. That is to say, Rodgers is taking many steps to further interest in and research into the Steelers.
It is unknown just when this will happen, but sources believe Rodgers is just checking boxes, and one source railed against the notion the Steelers were ‘in the dark’. All in all, the team has at least explored the trade market and other veteran options, but they think Rodgers is the player they will land. If it is not Rodgers, sources say Kirk Cousins would become the backup plan, but league sources believe he will not be traded until after the NFL Draft.
Another important note here is that it does not sound like the Steelers will force a quarterback in round one if they can not get Rodgers inked before the NFL Draft. The Steelers have a plan at quarterback long-term, and want to make sure they do not panic, especially seeing the fallout from missing on Kenny Pickett . However, they do their due diligence on every play, including Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart.
If they like one of those players enough, a first-round quarterback is far from out of the question. Draft Notes The NFL Draft is a little under two weeks away, and this is the most up-in-the-air the actual position Pittsburgh will target in the first round has been in quite some time. Yet, two positions continue to come up more than any others in conversations with sources.
Those two positions would be defensive line and wide receiver. I have long planted my flag on the defensive line interest in the first round, and even though the pro day circuit did not follow that perfectly, the Steelers remain locked in on that position that early. Michigan’s Kenneth Grant remains a player they are high on.
At wide receiver, Texas’ Matthew Golden and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka remain the top two candidates. Missouri’s Luther Burden seems to be far less likely. If there were a sleeper player from neither position, the Steelers would pick? Circle Texas CB Jahdae Barron.
The Steelers love him, and their interview with him at the NFL Combine and a follow-up at Texas Pro Day made them fall in love with the person. He has a lot of fans in the building. Running back, sans a stunning Ashton Jeanty fall, seems like it will be addressed in the third or fourth round.
One source said the Steelers want a ‘natural wide zone runner’ with their pick. The Steelers will certainly take a quarterback in this class. I would be surprised if they did not, but it will more likely be a mid-round player.
The one name that undeniably came up was Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. He has many fans in the Steelers’ building, including Tomlin. Other Notes - I have heard it multiple times dating back to the NFL Combine, but there is interest in the Steelers extending running back Jaylen Warren this offseason.
When Pittsburgh drafts a running back, the idea is to pair that player with Warren for the foreseeable future, not replace Warren. - The Steelers are not shopping George Pickens . Yet, they also don’t plan to extend him.
What I’m hearing more and more is that what the Steelers want and what Pickens wants, which is to be paid, might not line up. His reaction and actions to that news will determine what the Steelers do, but the plan is to keep him around for 2025. - The Steelers love themselves some Kenny Gainwell.
I was surprised to hear just how high this team was on him, but he is close to roster lock territory. - Ditto for Daniel Ekuale . In fact, multiple sources said the Steelers would be comfortable with Ekuale starting games for them if they did not draft a defensive tackle in the first round.
- The tentative plan is for the Steelers’ game in Ireland to be on September 28. As far as who the team is, I would not call the Green Bay Packers a lock for that game. While they are an option that has come up often, the league has kept the door open for others, most notably the Buffalo Bills.
- A sneaky extension candidate this summer? Kicker Chris Boswell. He is under contract through 2026, but some sources in the organization have expressed interest in getting a contract done with the first-team All-Pro. BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks , where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks.
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