Aaron Rodgers could’ve been a Minnesota Viking.
The 41-year old quarterback reportedly wanted to take his free agency to the Vikings.
But the folks in Minneapolis had other plans.
And because of that, Rodgers is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A deal may have been in the works, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said, but in the end, Minnesota stood behind second-year QB J.J. McCarthy.
“Rodgers definitely had interest in playing for the Vikings,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “He was looking at playing for one of those elite type play callers, like Kevin O’Connell, but the Vikings plan is clear for what I’m told, they saw this as a three year window right now to win a championship with a really good quarterback they like on a rookie deal that can build around them with some pieces. They’re going to go for it, without Rodgers officially, now.”
MORE: Steelers wanted $84 million QB instead of Rodgers
It’s huge for cap implications to have a starting quarterback on a rookie deal. A much higher percentage of the salary cap can be spent on other positions.
McCarthy isn’t a sure thing given he’s coming off a serious knee injury that forced him to miss his entire rookie season, but the Vikings obviously believe in his ability.
Signing Rodgers to Minnesota would’ve delayed the McCarthy era, and it may not have actually led to more success this season.
Now, the Vikings get a few seasons to let McCarthy grow into his best self and try to win a title. It’s a logical strategy, for sure.
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