The Aaron Rodgers saga may finally be getting to a pivotal point. That’s according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on his own podcast.

“I think we are entering the critical stretch for Aaron Rodgers’ final decision about whether or not to sign,” Schefter said. “The Pittsburgh Steelers’ voluntary offseason workout program begins next week. If Aaron Rodgers decides that he wants to play in Pittsburgh with new teammates, new receivers, new coaches and a new offense in a new city, I would think that he would want to be there, boots on the ground, from Day 1 of the offseason program so he can be on the field.”

Then again, Rodgers skipped mandatory minicamp with the Jets last year to go to Egypt, even though he missed all of 2023 with an Achilles injury. So perhaps that’s not a priority for him.

“He could put this off more and wait longer. Sure, he could do that. It’s not like it’s a hard deadline,” Schefter admitted. “But if you’re going into a new situation, don’t you want to give yourself the best chance to get acclimated to everybody and everything within your power when the offseason workout program begins?”

You’d think.

Then again, because of that, you’d think that perhaps Rodgers would’ve wanted to do that by now anyway.

From the Steelers’ point of view, though, Schefter says the looming draft on April 24 should be playing a role in the organization’s decision-making process.

“They need to figure out who’s going to be playing quarterback. Ideally, you’d like to get an answer from Aaron Rodgers before the draft begins,” Schefter added. “Can you imagine what it would be like right now to be a coach on the Pittsburgh Steelers staff when you’re trying to basically get your offense ready for the start of your off-season program, and you don’t know whether that offense is going to include Aaron Rodgers or not?”

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Schefter said Rodgers’ indecision is likely putting a strain on Mike Tomlin and his offensive assistants.

“You’re gonna have to have one offense that’s dictated for Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson, plus whoever you might draft. Then you’re going to have to have another offense in the event that Aaron Rodgers tells you, ‘Yes, I’m going to sign,’” Schefter continued. “So this is tough on the coaches. This is tough on the front office. This is tough on all the Steelers fans who have been waiting for an answer. But we are entering a critical period.”

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At the NFL meetings last month, Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney II downplayed the importance of minicamp and their own offseason workout program.

If Rooney wasn’t rushed to get a decision out of Rodgers, and Tomlin only sees training camp as “a line of demarcation” in terms of needing to get Rodgers on board, the fine. So be it.

I disagree. I tend to align with Schefter’s logic on this one. But Tomlin was at least right in the sense that, back when he made those comments at the end of March, there weren’t any other crucial dates in terms of salary cap maneuvering or roster construction that would’ve forced Rodgers to make a decision.

Well, until Shedeur Sanders started to drop in the draft. Until Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough started to rise in the draft. Until T.J. Watt started to post Instagram clues that he was unhappy about the state of his contract negotiations. Until Derek Carr got hurt in New Orleans.

Now, suddenly, some things have changed.

As I said on 105.9 The X after those NFL meetings, it wasn’t the Steelers’ timeline, Rodgers’ timeline or the regimented workout windows of the NFL that was ever going to be a catalyst to potentially make one side or the other pull the plug on this saga.

Some other outside force was always going to overcome Rodgers’ indecision.

Well, here we are. Now, it appears at least two draftable QBs are potentially in play. Another team’s starter got hurt, and Rodgers’ inertia is likely having a negative impact on negotiations with the franchise’s star defensive player.

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So let’s hope Schefter is right, and Rodgers has an epiphany to the same effect.