Breer calls Vikings the Aaron Rodgers 'wild card': 'They're still discussing it'

Is Rodgers' decision being delayed by the Vikings?Breer says Vikings might throw their hat in the ring.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is shown during Gang GreenÕs 19-9 loss against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, December 22, 2024, in East Rutherford. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The latest from Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer on the Aaron Rodgers situation includes him saying the Minnesota Vikings are still debating whether to throw their hat in the ring for the 41-year-old quarterback's services.

Rodgers, released by the Jets earlier this week, is believed to be attracting heavy interest from the Steelers and Giants. Breer added that Rodgers is considering retirement, while also referring to the Vikings as a "wild card."

"Very clearly, they want to give themselves an insurance policy against McCarthy," Breer said. "It doesn't mean they don't think McCarthy can be their quarterback for the next decade and a half. They still believe that. But J.J. McCarthy lost a bunch of weight going through the rehab, the two knee surgeries—the second one more of a clean up. J.J. McCarthy lost four months of development time."

That's all true, but head coach Kevin O'Connell has said he's "fired up" and expects McCarthy to hit the ground running this summer. But is he the best option on a roster that may be a standout QB away from competing for the Super Bowl?

"If you're Kevin O'Connell, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and all the guys there, you're looking at it and you're saying, 'Is there something here that we can do to make sure that we can look at our locker room, and look at the guys that won 14 games with a straight face sand say yes we are doing everything we can to win right now. We are doing everything we can to maximize this window that we're in with this core of players and this coaching staff.' And I think that's where they're sort of at right now, or where they have been over the last week or so."

Rodgers would be the unquestioned starter if he signed with the Vikings, which would give McCarthy, who is still only 22 years old, another year of seasoning while also eating another year on his rookie contract.

"They're still discussing that. So whether or not they throw their hat in the ring, we'll see. As of last night, I know they were still discussing it," Breer said Thursday. "Maybe they throw their hat in the ring now. It's obviously a fluid situation and there's a lot going on."

Until the Vikings get involved, Breer believes Pittsburgh is Rodgers' most likely landing spot.