Is there such a thing as a trade proposal that is so odd that it ends up helping neither team?
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers finally made the worst-kept secret in football an official matter of business this offseason when the veteran quarterback signed with the team.
Pittsburgh had one of the more questionable quarterback situations in the AFC before the deal that now provides at least some temporary stability.
And yes…
“Temporary” is the key word here, because the Steelers have struggled to settle on a bona fide franchise centerpiece since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season… and Rogers takes the reins this time for 2025 in what will be his last rodeo.
Rodgers will be gone after this season, leaving the Steelers to land right back into the same predicament.
Now, a better quarterback class projected in next year’s draft could point them in the right direction.
Or…
We could listen to ESPN.
Courtesy of Bristol comes one analyst who believes the next franchise quarterback may already be in the league.
ESPN’s Kevin Clark recently said on “NFL Live” that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson could be in play when the Steelers are forced into another quarterback decision a year from now.
He said it more emphatically than that.
“I’ve never seen anybody more destined to be in the 2026 Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback competition than Anthony Richardson,” Clark said.
From Clark’s words comes the assumption that the Colts are not willing to wait for Richardson to develop and that Daniel Jones will prove capable for the Colts to move on from Richardson.
The problems with the idea from the Indy side: Richardson was the fourth pick in his draft, is still just 23 and is playing on a cheap contract with multiple years left.
Rarely does a team give up on that.
The problem from the Steelers’ side? They ultimately need long-term stability under center… and that is not Richardson. Indeed, the reason Clark thinks Indy should dump Richardson is the very reason he doesn’t solve Pittsburgh’s future issues.