For the first time in four years, the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a glaring issue at starting quarterback. The comfort of that statement might only last one season, of course. Aaron Rodgers will be 42 years old by season’s end, and while he’s given Steelers fans a ‘maybe’ on his return in 2026, his initial stance that he’d be in Pittsburgh for one last season still looms.
For now, the Steelers feel fairly confident in their quarterback room after completely overhauling it. Mason Rudolph is a comfortable backup option that fans support. Sixth-round pick Will Howard seemed to have won the third-string job before the preseason began. Skylar Thompson looked good enough to push Rudolph for the second string in live action, though.
Still, all of that comfort doesn’t solve the issue that has prevailed since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2021 - who is the future franchise quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers? Some fans want Howard, others want to land him in the draft held in the Steel City next April. But another option could be available via trade sooner rather than later.
Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson floated as a potential Pittsburgh Steelers trade target
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently submitted 10 trades across the NFL that seem feasible following the preseason. He suggested the Steelers send the Indianapolis Colts a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft to bring Anthony Richardson to Pittsburgh to give him a fresh start after losing his starting position to Daniel Jones.
Most fans would look at Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, as a true-blue bust. Most would say the same of Jones, who failed in New York with the Giants as a sixth-overall pick in the 2019 draft. But there’s an argument to be made that Richardson is a project that requires more patience, much like Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield, who all failed at previous stops, but eventually landed starting gigs.
Frankly, Richardson’s profile matches what the Steelers would like in their starting quarterback from a skillset point of view. He has a rocket arm, incredible athleticism, and the size to (theoretically) withstand the bruising AFC North division. Whether or not the Steelers have the patience to see him come along and find his NFL footing is another story.
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In reality, this isn’t a move the Steelers should make ahead of the 2025 season. It’s one they should table until they know what Rodgers' plans are, and after getting more information on Richardson. But even with that approach, it would likely take a perfect storm scenario for the Steelers to make such a move.
For example, if the Steelers reach the AFC Championship, fall short there, and Rodgers decides - quickly - that he will be returning and Anthony Richardson doesn’t touch the field for Indianapolis while they skid to an expectable losing record and a top-10 pick, the Steelers should send a mid-round pick to the Colts to secure the project QB.
Pittsburgh then has less pressure to move up for a quarterback, instead investing in Richardson with another redshirt year and selecting a player that can hopefully get them over the hump in the championship contender conversation with their first-round pick.
That’s not a particularly likely scenario. Jones will almost assuredly give time to Richardson at some point during what will likely be a difficult season for Indianapolis. Then there’s the whole “how good are the Steelers, really” aspect.
Still, the key with Richardson is patience. How the Colts came to the conclusion that he was ready to start in Year 1 remains a mystery to the rest of the NFL. But going forward, replicating the patience that revived the careers of Darnold and Mayfield is the way to go. He has the tools; he just needs to be in the right opportunity.
But as things stand currently, Pittsburgh only stands to provide such an opportunity if everything falls into place just right.