Steelers predicted to cut ties with Packers legend Aaron Rodgers for 13-TD unproven QB

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent most of the offseason holding out for a veteran quarterback, and they finally got their man in Aaron Rodgers. The deal took time to complete, but it was revealed that Rodgers and the Steelers had a verbal agreement in place all along.

“I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], 'Listen, I'm gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I'm pretty sure they're gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all,’” Ian O’Connor said.

Rodgers is likely a one-and-done for the Steelers, with retirement looming for the future Hall of Famer. However, that doesn’t guarantee a storybook ending. Former Steeler James Harrison even predicted that Rodgers could be cut midway through the season.

When Pittsburgh first made the signing, ESPN’s Ryan Clark called it a worst-case scenario — arguing that Rodgers would make the team just good enough to miss out on a top quarterback in the draft.

“Aaron Rodgers signing with the Steelers is the worse case scenario. I think he’ll play good enough, & the team will be just good enough to miss out on a franchise guy next year! One of the greatest players of the era, & one of its greatest head coaches… just years too late,” Clark said.

Andrew Harbaugh of Buccaneers Wire has a different vision: the Steelers trading up for the No. 1 overall pick and selecting Arch Manning to replace Rodgers — a dream scenario for Pittsburgh.

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“The NFL Draft will be in Pittsburgh this coming year, and the team and city are desperate for a new chapter in their quarterback history. While they have gone through a handful of attempts since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, they need an actual high-potential replacement, and that is Arch Manning. They have the draft capital to be aggressive, and even with this trade, they would still have a total of nine picks in next year's draft,” Harbaugh wrote.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Manning will declare for the upcoming draft. But if he does, drafting him would be a smart move to secure the future — and as history shows, having a Manning at quarterback isn’t a bad way to go.