Analyst expands on why Aaron Rodgers could pick Saints over Steelers amid Vikings' uncertainty

Almost immediately after it was learned that New Orleans Saints starting quarterback Derek Carr could miss at least part of the 2025 campaign because of a shoulder injury, noteworthy members of the NFL community suggested that free agent Aaron Rodgers could serve as a New Orleans savior even though Rodgers has been linked with the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the offseason. 

On Monday, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin expanded on why Rodgers could pick the Saints over the Steelers if New Orleans wants to start the future Hall of Famer over a to-be-determined rookie later this year. 

"New Orleans boasts some nice personal connections for A-Rod," Benjamin explained. "Quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien once spent three seasons as Rodgers' backup with the Packers, developing a close relationship with the ex-Green Bay star. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks was reportedly on the Packers' radar during the 2022 season, Rodgers' final year in Green Bay. And longtime Saints utility man Taysom Hill began his NFL career learning from Rodgers as an undrafted signing of the Packers back in 2017."

There's more. Benjamin mentioned that a win-now quarterback such as Rodgers might prefer chasing a postseason berth with an NFC South team rather than with an AFC North side that has to compete against Baltimore Ravens star signal-caller Lamar Jackson and Cincinnati Bengals starter Joe Burrow. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have claimed the NFC South title across each of the past four seasons, they notched double-digit wins in only one of the previous three campaigns (10 in 2024). 

"The NFC South's combined record over the last half-decade or so easily puts it among the NFL's worst quartets," Benjamin noted. 

It's now hardly a secret that many reporters and insiders believe Rodgers would rather join the Minnesota Vikings than the Steelers. That said, the Vikings are giving 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy an opportunity to show during springtime workouts that he'll be ready to face live defenses in September coming off the full meniscus repair that sidelined him for all of last season. Thus, Rodgers may have to choose between the Steelers or the Saints unless he retires. 

Fair or not, the perception exists that Rodgers would already be a member of the Steelers if they were his first-choice option ahead of the upcoming draft. As it pertains to possibly being asked to mentor a rookie quarterback for a year or so, both the Steelers and Saints will likely draft at least one signal-caller later in April. 

For what it's worth, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared on Monday that Rodgers would be "a willing mentor for McCarthy" if the 41-year-old receives a call from the Vikings at some point before training-camp practices open. 

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Saints as the betting favorites at +100 odds to draft Colorado's Shedeur Sanders on April 24.