Biggest NFL Dominoes Left to Fall as Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Watch Continues

We've reached that "quiet" point in the NFL offseason between the draft and mandatory minicamps. Aside from the occasional signing and the schedule release—which will fully drop on Thursday—the NFL doesn't usually dominate the headlines during this stretch.

However, this year's post-draft period has been anything but quiet, in part, because one of the league's biggest stars, Aaron Rodgers, is still playing coy about his NFL future. For now, fans—and the Pittsburgh Steelers themselves—can only wait and wonder what the veteran quarterback will do next.

Rodgers Watch 2026 isn't the only significant storyline that has yet to unfold, either. Here, you'll find a look at the biggest NFL dominoes that are likely to fall in the coming months.

The Steelers' Search for Rodgers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Aaron Rodgers

If the Steelers hope to defend their AFC North crown this season, they'll likely need Rodgers to return for one more run. Otherwise, they're likely to rely on Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and/or third-round rookie Drew Allar at quarterback.

Unfortunately, the Steelers still don't seem to know in which way Rodgers is leaning or where he's spending his offseason.

"I don't know where, specifically, Aaron is," general manager Omar Khan told You Better, You Bet (h/t CBS Sports' John Breech).

Last week, 93.7 The Fan reported Rodgers would be in Pittsburgh over the weekend and was expected to sign with the Steelers.

However, ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Monday that the weekend passed without any meeting between Rodgers and the Steelers.

"Rodgers was not at the Steelers facility once this weekend," Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show.

It still feels like Rodgers will eventually return to Pittsburgh, and it's worth remembering he didn't join the team until June last offseason. However, until he and the Steelers put pen to paper on a deal for 2026, his future—and the Steelers' QB plan—remains an unknown.

Other Top Remaining Free Agents

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Stefon Diggs

Rodgers is the biggest name left in the free-agent player pool—the Steelers gave him the unrestricted free agent tender, but that will only limit his market after training camp begins. However, he isn't the only notable name still out there.

We often see another wave of free agency begin to unfold after the draft, as teams turn back to veterans to address holes they couldn't fill over draft weekend. The Minnesota Vikings, for example, recently signed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

The Los Angeles Chargers just signed former Pro Bowl tight end David Njoku on Monday.

The list of notable players who remain available on the open market includes wideout Stefon Diggs, edge-rusher Joey Bosa, receiver Deebo Samuel, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, cornerback Rasul Douglas, and wideout Tyreek Hill.

Diggs is a particularly intriguing free agent who served as the New England Patriots' top receiver during their 2025 Super Bowl run. He was released by New England in March for salary-cap reasons, and was recently found not guilty of assault charges, which might clear a potential hurdle for interested teams.

All of the aforementioned free agents are ones who could have a significant impact in 2026, and it'll be a surprise if each of them isn't on a roster by the start of training camp.

Remaining Franchise-Tagged Players

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Kyle Pitts

We didn't see a flood of teams use the franchise tag this offseason, and now only two situations remain unresolved.

The Indianapolis Colts used the transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones before quickly giving him a two-year, $88 million extension. The New York Jets gave running back Breece Hall the franchise tag but signed him to a three-year extension worth up to $45.75 million following the draft.

Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts were also given the franchise tag. Both have signed their tenders, and both have until 4 p.m. ET on July 15 to sign a long-term extension. Otherwise, their only option will be to play under the tag and be eligible for free agency again in 2027.

While we could see both Pickens and Pitts agree to long-term deals in the coming weeks, the Cowboys sound content to put off contract talks until 2027.

"We've made a decision that we're going to have George Pickens play under the franchise tag, which won't be a first for us. So there won't be negotiations on a long-term deal," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters before the draft.

Will things change in Dallas? Will Pitts get a long-term offer from Atlanta? We'll have answers within the next two months.

Other Extension Candidates

AP Photo/John Froschauer

Devon Witherspoon

Pickens and Pitts aren't the only players who could ink lucrative extensions before the start of training camp. Several good, young players are extension-eligible, and some of them could reset their respective positional markets—as Will Anderson Jr. did last month.

Anderson signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Houston Texans that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

A spotlight should exist on other members of Anderson's 2023 draft class, like Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Hall's recent deal, which made him the league's third-highest-paid back in terms of annual salary, won't go unnoticed by Robinson and Gibbs. There's a very real chance that Witherspoon and Gonzalez will each become the league's highest-paid cornerback, with the last to sign holding the title.

While neither Bryce Young nor C.J. Stroud is likely to reset the quarterback market, the two signal-callers are eligible for new deals. Both quarterbacks will be the subject of extension speculation this summer, even if the Texans and Carolina Panthers are in no rush to do an early deal.

"In terms of long-term contract, that's something that we're talking about here internally, and we'll do it at the right time," Panthers general manager Dan Morgan told Mad Dog Sports Radio (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).

Minnesota's GM Search

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell

The NFL had a whopping 10 franchises hire new head coaches this offseason, and many made other front-office changes. Normally, though, the front-office carousel would have stopped spinning well ahead of the draft.

However, the Minnesota Vikings ensured that fans would have something to discuss in May by waiting until after the draft to hire a new general manager.

Minnesota's GM search is just now getting underway. According to The Athletic's Alec Lewis, two external candidates have emerged as early potential replacements for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

"The two names on the list of external candidates who have generated probably the most excitement among people throughout the league, including executives, scouts and agents, are Nolan Teasley, the assistant general manager with the Seattle Seahawks, and Terrance Gray, the assistant general manager with the Buffalo Bills," Lewis told The Alec Lewis Show (h/t Heavy's Eduardo Razo).

Minnesota executive VP Rob Brzezinski acted as interim GM and ran Minnesota's draft with head coach Kevin O'Connell.

There's a very real chance that even after a new general manager is hired, the Vikings' ship will largely be O'Connell's to steer.

The End of the A.J. Brown and Brandon Aiyuk Sagas

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

A.J. Brown

Are you getting tired of hearing about A.J. Brown's future with the Philadelphia Eagles? You're not the only one, but until he's actually traded, it's going to remain a hot-button topic.

With the Eagles staying curiously quiet about the 28-year-old but using a first-round pick on wideout Makai Lemon, it certainly feels like Brown will be graded after June 1, when it will make financial sense to move him.

Trading Brown before June 1 would cost Philadelphia $20.1 million in additional cap space, while trading him after would save $7 million.

"I still think that once we get to June, that these two sides will get together and complete a trade that'll send AJ Brown to the New England Patriots," ESPN's Adam Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show.

Brown isn't the only receiver who is likely to be traded at some point this offseason, and likely after June 1. The San Francisco 49ers have been looking to move Brandon Aiyuk all offseason, though their asking price may soon drop to a range that generates interest.

A trade before June 1 would cost the 49ers $19.9 million in additional cap space, while a trade after June 1 would save $1.3 million.

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is another potential trade chip who could move this offseason. However, he reported for Indy's voluntary offseason program and may not be pushed out the door for pennies.

The trades of Brown and Aiyuk feel inevitable, though.

Injury Updates for Some Major Stars

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Patrick Mahomes

One big reason why the Colts may not dump Richardson for a bargain-bin return is the fact that Jones is recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in Week 14. His status will bear watching in the coming months, as will the recovery of several other legitimate stars.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is probably the biggest name on the recovery list. He suffered a torn ACL in December, though he's eyeing a return by Week 1.

"My understanding is he believes he can be ready for Week 1, talking to doctors, with no restrictions," Bleacher Report's James Palmer recently said (beginning around the 1:15 mark).

The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers will be awaiting the return of running back Zach Charbonnet and pass-rusher Micah Parsons, respectively, both recovering from torn ACLs.

The New York Giants lost two of their top offensive players, wideout Malik Nabers (torn ACL) and running back Cam Skattebo (ankle fracture), to season-ending injuries last season. Star San Francisco pass-rusher Nick Bosa is also working his way back from a torn ACL, as is Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

While many more players are coming back from serious 2025 injuries, these are some of the headliners whose recovery updates are likely to generate headlines in the coming months.

Looming QB Competitions

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

J.J. McCarthy

When and if Penix is healthy enough to practice for Atlanta, he's expected to compete with free-agent addition Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job. That's just one of many true quarterback competitions we're likely to see this offseason.

The Minnesota Vikings added Kyler Murray on a one-year deal, and they're prepared to let him battle it out with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who largely disappointed last season.

"They envision it being a true competition: Kyler Murray versus J.J. McCarthy," NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero told The Rich Eisen Show (beginning at the 1:22 mark). "And both these guys are going to go into this believing they're gonna win this job."

With Murray now in Minnesota, the Arizona Cardinals may hold an open battle between Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and rookie third-round pick Carson Beck. If Rodgers doesn't return, the Steelers are likely to have an open QB competition as well.

The Cleveland Browns have already begun their two-man race between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, and Watson has the early lead, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Then, there are the Las Vegas Raiders, which used the No. 1 overall pick on Fernando Mendoza. While the Raiders appear comfortable with veteran Kirk Cousins as their Week 1 starter, Mendoza will be hard to keep off the field if he looks like the better signal-caller in camp.

True QB competitions have been few and far between in recent years, but we have several in 2026 that are likely to begin heating up next month at mandatory minicamps.

*Contract information from Spotrac.