Should the Pittsburgh Steelers trade for a 23-year-old QB?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been urged to roll the dice by trading for a 23-year-old QB who has requested a trade.
NFL writer Alex Kay of Bleacher Report thinks the Steelers should consider trading for Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson, who will be traded this offseason after requesting a trade.
The Steelers don't know whether Aaron Rodgers will retire this offseason or continue playing. Rodgers is 42.
"Richardson would be the ultimate dice roll for the Steelers," Kay wrote. "He possesses more upside than any other quarterback who the team could reasonably acquire this offseason—including the trade market, free agency and draft—and still has the potential to develop into a top-tier NFL starter if all goes right.
"While Richardson has that sky-high ceiling, he also has one of the lower floors of any potential starter in the league. Richardson has been erratic as a passer in most of his NFL appearances, completing half of his throws in eight of the 11 starts he made during the 2024 campaign. It's a highly concerning trait that McCarthy and the Pittsburgh coaching staff would have to fix if they wanted to make a run in 2026."
Richardson was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has 11 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his career.
Thus far, Richardson has been a bust in the NFL, but a change of scenery could change that narrative. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has had success with developing QBs in the league, so he could be the perfect person to get the best out of Richardson.
A Florida product, Richardson has a strong arm, but he hasn't been accurate in the NFL, completing just 50.6% of his passes. Richardson is a strong, talented runner. He has 10 rushing touchdowns in 17 career games.
It will be fascinating to see if the Steelers attempt to trade for Richardson. That decision will hinge on Rodgers.
The Steelers want Rodgers to return, but it's unknown if the NFL legend wants to keep playing. Rodgers and Co. lost to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the 2026 playoffs. Rodgers played through a serious left-hand injury.
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