The Steelers placed a rarely used UFA tender on Aaron Rodgers

PITTSBURGH – In something of an insurance move, Pittsburgh Steelers Launched rarely used UFA tenders Aaron Rodgers before Monday’s post-draft deadline.

The UFA tender reserves the Steelers’ right to a compensatory draft pick when Rodgers signs with another team and also limits his ability to sign with another team after the start of training camp. The Steelers will have exclusive negotiating rights for Rodgers if he doesn’t sign with another team by July 22 or the first day of training camp in Pittsburgh, whichever is later.

Another condition of the tender is that Rodgers can also accept a 10% raise from last year’s salary, which would pay him about $15 million this season.

Despite using the tender on him, the Steelers are confident Rodgers will eventually sign with them and the move is considered a “procedural one,” a team source told ESPN. The tag is rarely used because there aren’t often unrestricted free agents of Rodgers’ caliber — those capable of making a significant impact on a team’s compensatory picks — available at this time of the league year.

A year ago, Rodgers waited until early June to sign, signing his one-year deal with the Steelers just before mandatory minicamp. At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan was confident that this year’s story wouldn’t repeat itself in the 2025 offseason.

With new head coach Mike McCarthy, the Steelers’ offseason schedule is different from a year ago. The Steelers are set to hold their first voluntary OTA session on May 18, while mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 2-4, with more voluntary OTAs to follow.

As they await Rodgers’ decision, the Steelers have actively added to their quarterback room by drafting the Penn State product. Drew Aller In the third round. McCarthy, however, talks about adding Aller to a room that is inclusive Will Howard And Mason Rudolph Their situation with Rogers had no effect.

“No, not at all,” McCarthy said Saturday said. “It’s about developing the room and trying to deepen the room as much as possible.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter contributed to this report.