The Indianapolis Colts are working to find Anthony Richardson a new home, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers having a need at quarterback, Kay Adams thinks the Steelers should take a flier on the former fourth overall pick. While he’s had marginal success, with an 8-7 record as a starter and a paltry 50.6% completion percentage, Richardson is one of the most athletic quarterbacks of all-time.
And Adams thinks trading for him could be a way for the Steelers to find their quarterback of the future on the cheap.
“The Steelers have been in a victim of their own success in the way…it’s gotten them stuck in this NFL Draft, free agency purgatory. They need to break through, and this is a way around that. Anthony Richardson’s skill set, we know it’s undeniable,” Adams said on Monday’s episode of Up & Adams. “Twenty-three years old, I think Mike McCarthy can get the best out of him. Stability, good culture top to bottom. Whether Aaron Rodgers is back there or not, I do like this for Pittsburgh anyway.”
Adams argued that even if it doesn’t work out, the Steelers could manage a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The problem with acquiring Richardson and bringing back Rodgers is that Richardson is entering his fourth year in the league. The Steelers, or any team that acquires him, will without a doubt decline his fifth-year option. If Rodgers comes back, the Steelers are then trading for a backup they could lose in free agency for a year. It’s a similar situation to when the team traded for Justin Fields, though an injury to Russell Wilson opened the door for Fields to start six games and cash in during free agency.
The Steelers have a reliable backup in Mason Rudolph, and the front office and coaching staff have praised Will Howard repeatedly this offseason. A backup quarterback isn’t necessarily a need. If Rodgers doesn’t come back, then the Steelers could look at Richardson as a potential starting option and add him to the quarterback mix. He has pedigree, and Mike McCarthy has had success working with young quarterbacks before. Without a surefire quarterback option in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft, Richardson is at least an intriguing gamble.
While his overall body of work isn’t all that impressive and is the reason why he didn’t win the starting job with the Colts last season, he’s young and was a raw talent when he was drafted. If the Steelers think they can develop him into a better passer, he could be an effective long-term starter, especially with his unique physical tools. But there’s more questions than answers about Richardson’s future, and I’d be very surprised if his next stop is Pittsburgh.
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