A few veteran quarterbacks should be available this upcoming offseason. Two of the big prizes are Aaron Rodgers and potentially Matthew Stafford. The New York Jets decided to cut ties with Rodgers after two tough seasons. The Los Angeles Rams are considering options and shopping Matthew Stafford on the trade block.
Teams who feel they are a quarterback away from Super Bowl contention will be interested in acquiring these quarterbacks. One team might have a leg up on the rest, though.
Which Team Is Most Attractive to Veteran QBs?
A team that has been trying to get over the hump in the playoffs is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Failing to adequately replace Ben Roethlisberger has lowered how far the team could go. The Steelers would be an attractive destination for a veteran quarterback as they consistently have winning records with mediocre quarterback play.
“The Steelers, to me, remain the most attractive destination for an older veteran quarterback like Matthew Stafford or Rodgers, given how many pieces are already in place, the history of the franchise and the presence of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith,” said Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on the Steelers’ quarterback opening.
The Steelers consistently win with great defense and just enough offensive firepower to get them over the edge. Rodgers and Stafford have Super Bowls on their résumés and are looking to end their careers on a high note. Rodgers failed to do this with the Jets and is looking for redemption before he hangs the cleats up for good. Rodgers will be available on the free agent market and shouldn’t command a huge market.
On the other hand, Stafford is still under contract with the Rams. The Steelers might have to cough up some compensation for Stafford’s services. He is younger than Rodgers and might have a few more years than Rodgers left in the tank. It is still a possibility that the Rams decide their best move is to keep him, but as of right now, they are reportedly shopping him. He likes Los Angeles and is reportedly interested in staying.
“As for whether or not Stafford will be available? I know some folks close to him think that he ultimately wants to remain in Los Angeles and play for Sean McVay. We’ll see if the Rams can work out the contract part of this, which will determine what’s next,” said Breer.
Rodgers is a more likely option for the Steelers and should come cheaper than Stafford. The Steelers need to level up into a true contender rather than a team with an early-round playoff ceiling. Finding a quarterback like Rodgers or Stafford to lead the team could be that move to take them to the next level.
Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford’s Performance Last Season
Neither quarterback had an eye-catching season in 2024 — neither quarterback finished in the top 20 in PFSN’s QB+ rankings.
Rodgers finished 21st with a grade of 72.2 (C-). This was a poor season by his standards. He only converted on 33.5% of third downs, which was good for 29th in the league. An even more damning stat was that he was 36th in the league from a clean pocket. The question of whether Rodgers can find some semblance of his old self in a new situation looms over his potential suitors after a subpar 2024 season.
Stafford finished one place behind Rodgers in 22nd. His grade of 71.9 (C-) was slightly behind Rodgers, but unlike Rodgers, Stafford was great from a clean pocket as the seventh-best quarterback in the NFL in this category. He couldn’t handle the pressure though, as he ranked 30th with a 0.46 EPA/DB.
Stafford and Rodgers put up comparable seasons where their numbers weren’t up to their primes. But these quarterbacks with a little improvement could be responsible for a franchise to make some strides next season. The offseason should be fun as fans await where these two veterans might be in Week 1.
