Drew Allar had a wide range of NFL Draft projections, but the Steelers took him near his ceiling at No. 76 overall in the third round on Friday night. That investment suggests Mike McCarthy and the Pittsburgh brass don’t only view him more favorably than last year’s sixth-round pick Will Howard out of Ohio State, but that they see Allar as a potential starting option, either down the line or right away.
In an open competition between Allar, Howard, and Mason Rudolph, it would seem that the former Nittany Lions has the inside track. However, it won’t be an open competition in Pittsburgh if future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers returns for his age-43 season, which appears to be what the Steelers would prefer. And that just got more likely.
According to Adam Schefter, on Tuesday, the Steelers placed an unrestricted free agent tender on Aaron Rodgers. That means he can accept a 10 percent raise off last year’s salary to return, and that once training camp begins, if he remains unsigned, he would only be able to sign with the Steelers.
Sources: the Steelers placed the rare UFA tender on Aaron Rodgers, meaning that he can accept a 10 percent raise off last year’s salary, which would pay him about $15 million this season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2026
As another condition of the tender, Rodgers would only be able to sign with the Steelers… pic.twitter.com/G5NABNOTgF
Steelers place UFA tender on Aaron Rodgers after drafting Drew Allar
Rodgers has yet to officially sign for another season in Pittsburgh, and while owner Art Rooney II has stopped short of putting a deadline on Rodgers’ decision, the Steelers are beginning to apply more pressure on last year’s starting QB.
Rodgers waited until deep into the summer to sign last year, and the Steelers would much prefer he re-up more expeditiously this time around, so they're exercising any leverage they have to make that happen, short of moving on altogether.
This move effectively cuts off Rodgers' other options around the NFL, if his shaky performance last season and age didn’t already. So, if Rodgers wants to play, that will have to happen in Pittsburgh.
Allar has also emerged as a major piece of leverage in that cat-and-mouse game. While he’s considerably raw as an NFL prospect, coming off a major ankle injury with inconsistent accuracy, a glaring lack of aggressiveness, and shoddy footwork, Allar started 35 games in college, so he has the experience to step into the starting role as a rookie.
Beating out Will Howard to be next in line if Rodgers doesn’t sign or goes down midseason won’t be easy, but he has the upper hand due to the major draft day investment the organization made. It’ll be interesting to monitor throughout the offseason, and the stakes could be raised because who knows what Rodgers will ultimately decide to do.
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