The NFL offseason is a smoky backroom poker game, and Mike Mayock just slid into the seat with a stack of chips and a smirk. The former Raiders GM, whose draft picks once sparked more debates than a Seinfeld finale, is back at the table. This time, he’s shuffling quarterbacks like a blackjack dealer on Red Bull. The stakes?
Two aging gunslingers, a four-time MVP chasing twilight glory, and two franchises teetering between desperation and destiny. Let’s just say the drama’s thicker than a New Orleans gumbo.
Mayock’s latest take? The Giants’ Joe Schoen might skip the Aaron Rodgers blockbuster and opt for a double feature: Kirk Cousins or Derek Carr. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s steel-curtain swagger could lure Rodgers away from New York’s neon chaos. It’s a plot twist even The Sopranos wouldn’t see coming. But stranger things have happened in a league where Brett Favre once retired more times than Rocky fought.
On March 11, Mayock told Rich Eisen the Giants’ front office is “feeling some heat” to win now. “I think you got a head coach and a GM feeling some heat. You got to win some football games now,” Mayock said. His solution?
Skip the Rodgers circus and pivot to safer bets: Cousins or Carr.
“One of those teams may end up looking at the two options I talked about earlier,” Mayock said, referencing the veteran QBs. Cousins, benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta, is itching to start again. “I definitely still feel like I have a lot of good football left in me,” he told NFL Network in February. Carr?
Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) is hit by Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (97) and fumbles the ball during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
He is a walking cap casualty in New Orleans—where new coach Kellen Moore called him a “premier player.” But he refused to commit to him as the starter. For the Giants, it’s a classic fork in the road: Chase Rodgers’ fading star or bet on Cousins/Carr to steady the ship? Schoen’s job might hinge on it.
Cousins’ $180M Falcons deal turned sour faster than milk in July. Now, he’s hunting a contender. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin links him to Cleveland, where Kevin Stefanski—his old Vikings OC—could revive him. Cousins’ 2024 line (3,508 yards, 18 TDs, 16 INTs) wasn’t pretty, but as Daniel Jeremiah said, he “knows the offense inside and out.” Atlanta’s footing most of his bill?
Even better. Carr’s $51M cap hit makes him radioactive in New Orleans. The Athletic’s Zach Rosenblatt thinks the Saints will “roll with him” while drafting Shedeur Sanders. But if cut, Seattle’s a sleeper fit. Geno Smith’s $38.5M salary looms, and Cousins’ play-action precision pairs perfectly with DK Metcalf’s deep routes.
And while the Giants sweat, Pittsburgh’s plotting…
Steelers’ “heavy run game” meets Rodgers’ ego: Match made in Heinz Field?
Mayock thinks Aaron Rodgers’ best shot at a graceful exit is with Mike Tomlin’s Steelers. “He can still throw the football, and I think he’ll be a better player than he was last year coming off the Achilles. So, I think he can be in play in Pittsburgh as long as he understands the role and that the general in that building is Mike Tomlin,” he said.
Translation: Rodgers would play their game—play-action, ground-and-pound, no diva antics. It’s a stark contrast to New York, where another losing season could get Schoen and Brian Daboll fired. However, Rodgers’ stats back the gamble.
28 TDs vs. 11 INTs in 2024, despite a shaky Jets roster. But Pittsburgh offers more than stats—it’s stability. As Eisen noted, Rodgers “wouldn’t want to do what you mentioned with the Giants because he’s done that movie before with the Jets.” Why would you rerun it? Besides, the Steelers’ trade for DK Metcalf adds firepower. While George Pickens’ talent remains a ticking time bomb waiting for a quarterback to defuse it.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Miami Dolphins at New York Jets Jan 5, 2025 East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers 8 during the third quarter of their game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. East Rutherford MetLife Stadium New Jersey USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xEdxMulhollandx 20250105_pjc_se8_338
The NFL offseason is a chess match where knights move like pawns and kings retire mid-game. For Rodgers, it’s about legacy: Does he chase rings in Pittsburgh’s grit or fame in New York’s glare? For Cousins and Carr, it’s redemption—proving they’re more than bloated contracts and backup plans.
As Hemingway wrote, “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” Will Aaron Rodgers’ final act be a triumph or a tragedy? And will the Giants’ gamble on Cousins or Carr pay off—or blow up like a tailgate grill on Labor Day?
Question for the fans: If you’re Joe Schoen, do you bet on stability (Cousins/Carr) or swing for the fences (Rodgers)?
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