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Former Steelers RB Najee Harris seemingly takes shot at Pittsburgh after arriving in Los Angeles
NFL insider explains why Steelers changed their mind on Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in desperate need of a starting quarterback for the 2025 season. The competition seems to be narrowing down to two veterans: Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Wilson, of course, is familiar with the Steelers after experiencing both highs and lows in 2024 when he took over for Justin Fields. Both quarterbacks are seeking hefty contracts, and this demand for a pricy payday has created a serious holdup in the Steelers' negotiations. When NFL insider Mike Florio appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday afternoon, he was directly asked why the Steelers suddenly changed their mind on Rodgers. Initially, Pittsburgh showed little to no interest in the veteran quarterback, but now it seems like both sides might need each other. Florio's response was particularly revealing, offering insight into how the Steelers' stance on Rodgers shifted dramatically. Florio explained that the Steelers' change of heart could be tied to a combination of factors, including the team's shifting priorities and Rodgers’ willingness to entertain the idea of playing in Pittsburgh. While the Steelers had reservations about bringing him in at first, the reality of their quarterback situation in 2025 has made Rodgers’ potential value to the team much more appealing. Florio's analysis suggests that the Steelers made a grave mistake with Fields and how they handled their quarterback situation. "I think that and look, they will never hold a press conference and answer all of the questions on how they ended up in the spot they are in," Florio said. "I think they thought they were going to be able to steal Justin Fields. I mean with Fields getting $20 million a year from the Jets, that is an embarrassing low starting quarterback number." Florio has long been a vocal advocate for Rodgers, arguing that the quarterback is worth at least $45 million a year. However, he recently expressed disbelief over Fields' contract with the Jets, which is reportedly only $20 million a year, calling it laughably low. Florio’s remarks suggest that the Steelers may have put themselves in a difficult position by attempting to "cheap out" on Fields, ultimately leading to the current quarterback dilemma. His perspective highlights how Pittsburgh's initial reluctance to invest in Fields may be coming back to haunt them now. "I think the primary goal was, and they admitted it, they wanna keep either Fields or Wilson, but they wanted to go cheap and I think they went too cheap with Fields, and it blew up in their faces," Florio speculated. "That is why someone woke up and said maybe we should go out and get Aaron Rodgers. The flaw in the thinking was people believing Rodgers would come cheap." When owner Art Rooney II, GM Omar Khan and HC Mike Tomlin addressed the quarterback situation, they all emphasized that they were open to a future with either Fields or Wilson in 2025. Some speculated whether they were simply saying that out of necessity or if they truly meant it. What seems more likely is that Pittsburgh didn't want to overpay for a quarterback. Steelers' Mike Tomlin thought he could get a discount with Justin Fields The Steelers reportedly offered Fields what they considered a fair contract, but he wasn't interested and chose to leave for the New York Jets. There was a belief, especially from Tomlin, that he might be able to land a "personal discount" given his reputation and the allure of playing for him. However, that strategy backfired, leaving the Steelers without a clear option for the 2025 season. Of course, that will soon change as the Steelers are poised to finalize a deal and determine their starting quarterback. However, they now find themselves in a much more desperate situation than they originally anticipated. The Steelers are quickly running out of leverage and need to find a solution. As it stands, overpaying for a 41-year-old quarterback in Rodgers may be their best, and perhaps only, option.
Winners, losers from Friday's NFL free agency: Cooper Kupp finds new home
The first week of NFL free agency and the offseason concluded on Friday with one major wide receiver signing as Cooper Kupp joined the Seattle Seahawks. Let's take a look at the rest of the winners and losers from Friday's NFL free agency. Winner: Wide receiver Cooper Kupp Signing with the Seattle Seahawks is a huge win for Kupp for several reasons. The biggest being that he is getting a reported three-year, $45 million contract at his age (31) and after battling major injury issues the past couple of seasons. The second is that he gets to return to Washington state where he is originally from (Yakima) and played his college football (Eastern Washington). He also gets an opportunity to play as part of a retooled Seahawks offense while also playing against his former team two times a year to try and get some revenge. Loser: Dallas Cowboys Another year, another underwhelming offseason for the Cowboys, and they are taking losses all over the place this spring. They signed running back Miles Sanders early Friday morning, but that is not an upgrade over Rico Dowdle who ended up replacing Sanders in Carolina. They were rumored to be interested in Kupp to serve as a complement to superstar CeeDee Lamb, only to watch him sign with the Seahawks instead. Then they got humiliated by former player DeMarcus Lawrence after he joined the Seahawks and took a shot at the Cowboys' Super Bowl chances. If you are a Cowboys fan, where is the optimism coming from this offseason? Winner: Kansas City Chiefs depth The Chiefs made a couple of smaller depth signings on Friday, bringing back running back Kareem Hunt on a one-year deal and signing Bailey Zappe for some additional quarterback depth. They are not league-altering moves by any stretch, but solid depth at a couple of key positions. With Patrick Mahomes, Gardner Minshew and Zappe the Chiefs have one of the league's best quarterback rooms with a future Hall of Famer and two very capable backups. Loser: Buffalo Bills free-agent class It is not that the Bills free agent signings are bad. They added some outstanding depth to their defensive line. The problem is they are going to have to wait until Week 7 to see two of them as they learned on Friday that Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi are facing six-game suspensions for PED violations. Winner: Free agents in general In terms of top-end talent, this was not a great group of free agents. Thanks to the combination of a rising salary cap, as well as some desperation from teams looking to find help, free agents still managed to cash in with some massive dollar numbers.
Oilers' Jake Walman expresses hard feelings toward former team over trade
The Oilers made an impressive off-the-radar move to acquire Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks, who opened up about feeling shocked by the trade and his history of being dealt. Jake Walman was traded to the Edmonton Oilers by the San Jose Sharks on Friday for a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and forward prospect Carl Berglund. Jake Walman expresses hard feelings about trade from a Detroit Red Wings, shock about joining Oilers So far, things have gone swimmingly for Walman, making his impact felt in his first game donning the orange and blue. However, Walman's journey to northern Alberta hasn't been an easy one. In a new interview, Walman describes his journey so far, sharing the difficult emotions he experienced after getting traded. "I was a little bit shocked that they just threw me away. That's how I felt. I was upset. I wanted to prove people wrong, at that point, the following year. I thought we were building something in Detroit, and I was going to be a part of it." Clearly, Walman is referring to his trade from the Detroit Red Wings, but it's likely that some of those same emotions resurfaced when he learned he was being traded once more. However, being traded to Connor McDavid's definitely team softens the blow. Some rumors have previously surfaced that the Red Wings moved on from Walman because of locker room concerns, but they're not reliable and Walman seems like a great personable add to the team. Furthermore, Walman reflects on his opportunity to play on a Stanley Cup-contending team, expressing his gratitude toward GM Stan Bowman. "It says a little bit about the transition I've made in a year, and getting the trust from Stan to come and get me. "It means a lot. I feel shocked, but obviously really excited for this opportunity. It's a different feeling. You know what (kind of) team you're joining." Hopefully, fans will be able to see Walman's "Griddy" once he settles in a bit more in Oil Country.
Did Commanders tip their draft intent with free-agency moves?
Are the Washington Commanders saving their first-round pick in the coming NFL Draft for a pass-rusher? Free-agent signings and trades shored up needs at receiver, offensive line and in the secondary. But there’s still one gaping hole: a dominant pass-rusher. Washington hasn't re-signed Dante Fowler Jr., who tallied 10.5 sacks last season. Instead, it concentrated on big interior defensive linemen and reserve ends, leaving one critical piece remaining for the draft. Washington drafts 29th overall in the first round, meaning it won’t get top prospects like Penn State’s Abdul Carter, Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. or Texas A M’s Shemar Stewart unless it moves up. Still, solid pass-rushers are usually plentiful in the draft. Washington may focus on Marshall’s Mike Green or Georgia’s Mykel Williams. Green seems a little undersized at 6-foot-3 and 251 pounds, but his first move is considered elite quickness. Green began as a linebacker at Virginia, sat out 2022 and then found success at Marshall. His 17 sacks last season led the FBS and set a Sun Belt record. Williams (6-foot-5, 265 pounds) earned a serious look with two sacks and five quarterback pressures in the 2024 SEC Championship. He can play multiple defensive-line techniques, providing versatility. Washington is looking to bolster a line that was unpredictable last season. The Commanders allowed 30 or more points seven times, including during a 55-23 NFC Championship loss to Philadelphia. An inconsistent pass rush and run defense has been revamped with bigger interior bodies to clog the middle and allow an edge-rusher to receive single-blocking. Washington released eight-year veteran tackle Jonathan Allen and spent $45M over three years on former New York Jets tackle Javon Kinlaw. A 14th overall selection in 2020 by San Francisco, injuries undermined two seasons for Kinlaw before he spent 2024 in New York with 12 starts. That Commanders GM Adam Peters was on the 49ers staff that drafted Kinlaw likely influenced a deal. Washington wanted Kinlaw (6-foot-5, 319 pounds) alongside Daron Payne inside. So there’s one piece still lacking: a dominant pass-rusher. Peters’ first draft showed a willingness to select for need instead of simply choosing the best player available. This time, Adams may once again take his biggest need first: edge-rusher.
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