“I think the Giants have more pieces that work for Aaron.” Where is Aaron Rodgers landing next? Is it Minnesota or Pittsburgh? The former Packers QB’s name has been on everyone’s lips during the season as well as now in the offseason. First, everyone wanted to know his future with the Jets, and now everyone’s invested in which team he will be playing with next. Interestingly, even at 41 and after a year full of controversy, Rodgers still has his options.
There are chances that the one-time Super Bowl champion could again land up in the Big Apple. And Colin Cowherd believes that would be the best option because the Giants have a roster that could work well with Aaron. Lately, the idea of Aaron Rodgers signing with the Vikings is picking up steam as well. The QB could go his Packers teammate Brett Favre’s way, joining the Vikings after parting ways with the Jets.
But would Kevin O’Connell agree with that? Rodgers’ conflicts with ex-Jets coach Robert Saleh are no hidden truths. Of course, coach O’Connell would not want the same with his team and himself. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN claims that the Vikings are focused on developing their QB J.J. McCarthy rather than bringing a veteran onto the squad.
“Sources there tell me that it’s possible they get involved with Rodgers, but the feeling this week has been probably not. They want to develop J.J. McCarthy.” The Vikings’ two major recent offensive signings kind of tell why they may not be interested in spending cash on Rodgers. Last week, Minnesota signed OT Will Fries to a five-year deal worth $88 million. They also signed Ryan Kelly on an $18 million two-year deal. So, with those additions, they might be cautious with their spending and also preserve their compensatory draft picks. Minnesota is trying to play the long game and not just act aggressively.
“They’re trying to play the long game a little bit and the smart game…All their moves, especially with two big offensive line signings, say they’re all in on JJ McCarthy and his development,” said Jeremy Fowler. So maybe Rodgers might want to cross the Vikings off his list if he was considering joining the team.
Also, speaking of the Vikings’ offensive moves, the team has released one of their longtime offensive stars.
Vikings’ cost-cutting: Pricey signings lead to veteran exit
After gracing the gridiron shining in the Vikings colors, Garrett Bradbury now has to say goodbye to the team. On Monday, Minnesota announced that they are releasing their longtime veteran center. The 29-year-old was on a $15.75M deal with the team. His contract had no guaranteed money for this year, which worked in the Vikings’ favor as they cut him without any financial penalty.
Also, the team is releasing him post-June 1, which means they can spread out the financial hit of his contract over two years. Minnesota will only take $2.44M in dead cap space in 2025, rather than absorbing the entire financial hit this year. This will allow them a bit more cap space this year, and every dollar matters.
This might mean that the Vikings might still add some more players to the roster. Kevin O’Connell and the front office management still looking out for more free agents and trade acquisitions for this season. The team has already spent a lot of cash in free agency, but cutting Bradbury will give them a little ammo to spend some more. So, it may indeed be a smart move on their end.
From what Jeremy Fowler said, it’s less likely that they will spend this money on Aaron Rodgers. The team is eyeing some other players, and maybe they’ll pick someone from the Draft. Whatever the case may be, one thing is clear: the Vikings might still have one or two big signings up their sleeve.
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