The Pittsburgh Steelers made an unusual move on Monday, but team president Art Rooney II downplayed their decision to slap a UFA tender on Aaron Rodgers .
"We alerted Aaron and his representative that we were going to do it, and so not a real big deal," Rooney said, per Tom Pelissero. "Just something that in the unlikely event he goes somewhere else, we are eligible for a comp pick."
The Steelers offered Rodgers a one-year deal at a 10% raise from his previous salary, which would be just over $15 million. He can sign that contract whenever, or the two sides can iron out another agreement. Rodgers can still speak with other teams until July 22 or the start of Steelers training camp — whichever comes first.
If Rodgers leaves, as Rooney alluded to, he would count toward the compensatory pick formula.
Before Rooney offered an assurance that it was simply precautionary, CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones said he believes the move shows that the Steelers aren't fully confident that Rodgers will play another season in black and gold.
"What this signals to me — more than anything else — is that the Pittsburgh Steelers truly do not know what Aaron Rodgers is going to decide," Jones said Tuesday on "CBS Sports HQ." "Because you don't put this in as a piece of insurance if you know what he is going to do. And we've all been assuming there is this 'wink, wink, nod, nod' understanding (like), 'Hey, he's gonna take his time, but eventually he's gonna sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.'
"The Steelers thought they would have an answer well before the draft. They didn't. And then by the draft. They didn't. Now they do not have one. … You can say, 'Well, you don't expect (him signing elsewhere) to happen.' Well, they did expect him to have a decision by now."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Art Rooney II Opens Up About Steelers Tagging Aaron Rodgers
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