The Indianapolis Colts made waves this week when the team announced they are moving forward with Daniel Jones as its starting quarterback. After just two seasons and 15 starts, the Colts are turning the page on former fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson. Bleacher Report is lobbying for the Pittsburgh Steelers to pick up the pieces.
Alex Kay of B/R recently wrote about one trade each NFL team should make before the start of the 2025 season. For the Steelers, it was trading for Richardson. Kay suggests Pittsburgh should send a 2026 third-round pick to Indy for the polarizing quarterback.
Considering where the team stands on Richardson, there's no question a third-round pick would get the job done at this point. But Steelers fans would not be united if Omar Khan and the front office executed this hypothetical trade.
Anthony Richardson trade would divide the Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase
Those who have watched Anthony Richardson early in his career have either taken a hard stance against him as a quarterback or would be willing to give him another shot. There's no in between. Richardson has struggled with the basics in his first two seasons—accuracy, timing, and anticipation—and it's unclear if these mechanical issues can be fixed at this point.
On the other hand, we're talking about a quarterback with a 6'4'', 244-pound frame with unmatched arm strength and athletic ability. Physically, the sky is the limit for Richardson. But football fans have a wide range of opinions about who he could be in the NFL.
A third-round pick isn't chump change. That selection could be used on a potential future starter in Pittsburgh or even packaged to move up for a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
READ MORE: No-brainer quarterback trade package is too good for Steelers to refuse
That's where we are right now. After suffering through a collection of stopgap options since Ben Roethlisberger, most Steelers fans are eager to find a franchise quarterback, and the majority don't believe Richardson is that guy.
While I would be willing to gamble on an Anthony Richardson trade at the right price, a third-round pick feels too steep for a quarterback who has a 50.6 completion percentage to go with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his career.
At the same time, despite his inconsistencies, Richardson has been able to lead the Colts to an 8-7 record over his first two seasons before he even turned 23 years old. This sample was accompanied by some of the most impressive throws we've seen down the field, as well as 635 rushing yards and an additional 10 rushing touchdowns.
There's also the depth chart dilemma. Right now, the Steelers already have an influx of quarterbacks to round out the roster. Will Howard is the rookie who will likely be Pittsburgh's QB3.
Even if the team releases Skylar Thompson before NFL roster cutdowns, that still gives them four quarterbacks, with Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. The Stelers would likely need to place Will Howard on season-ending IR or find a way to stash him on the final roster.
If the asking price was a Day 3 pick for Anthony Richardson, the Pittsburgh Steelers should be all over this trade for the potential upside alone. But surrendering a third-rounder in this trade proposal from B/R would divide the fanbase.