Steelers tender to Aaron Rodgers locks him out until training camp

In a highly unusual move, the Pittsburgh Steelers tendered quarterback Aaron Rodgers with a right of first refusal tender. This is, in large part, an insurance policy for the Steelers that should Rodgers decide to sign elsewhere, the team would be rewarded a compensatory draft pick. The tender itself promises Rodgers a 10 percent raise over his salary last season which would pay him something in the neighborhood of $15 million for 2026.

But there is one clause in the tender that we found highly unusual and adds a completely different twist to the Rodgers contract drama. According to reports, the tender means Rodgers cannot sign with the Steelers until training camp. This is a puzzling piece to this tender and it feels a little like the Steelers don't think Rodgers is going to come back and want to be sure they have plenty of time to evaluate guys like Will Howard and Drew Allar.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers tender to Aaron Rodgers locks him out until training camp