Aaron Rodgers update: Mike Tomlin reveals ‘line of demarcation’ for signing free agent QB

As NFL coaches, executives and owners gathered in Palm Beach, Fla. for this week’s league meetings, Aaron Rodgers loomed large. The free agent QB continues to be linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers, although the team appears content to wait for him to sign.

However, Mike Tomlin revealed a “line of demarcation” for a decision, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. He wants a resolution by training camp.

Tomlin previously said the Steelers don’t have a true internal “deadline” for signing Rodgers, who’s one of the last big quarterback dominoes left to fall. Pittsburgh continues to wait for a decision, but Tomlin wants one in place by the time camp starts to the franchise can get properly get ready for the season.

“We know one of the, ‘Who’s,’ we can assume the, ‘Why,’ but the big question is when?” Pryor said on SportsCenter Tuesday evening. “Art Rooney was asked today if he’s comfortable waiting for Aaron Rodgers, and he said, ‘Well, not forever, but for a while longer.’ And Mike Tomlin told me just a couple days ago that for him, the line of demarcation is training camp. At that point, team development is hindered with an incomplete quarterback position.

“Now, this is different from what he said a year ago at these meetings where he was putting Russell Wilson in ‘pole position’ to help with team synergy. I asked him, why the difference this time that it doesn’t seem like you need a quarterback in pole position at this point in the year? He said, ‘We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I’m not going to talk about hypotheticals. This is something that we will likely settle in May.’ Then, he said, ‘Certainly. Probably.’ So, Steelers don’t have an internal deadline. They are waiting on Aaron Rodgers.”

The Giants were another team that came up in Rodgers’ free agency. However, the franchise signed Wilson and Jameis Winston – and very well could be in the mix to draft a quarterback – which effectively took them off the board.

That left the Steelers as a likely landing spot, and the team hosted Rodgers on a visit last week. Tomlin confirmed the visit took place, but said there was no true “deadline” from the franchise for a signing to take place.

“Not to my knowledge,” he said, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. “You know, I don’t know that we’ve approached it from a deadline perspective. Certainly, as I mentioned, you’d like to have settled circumstances. But, you know, deadlines don’t often bring that to a head.”

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