Six quarterbacks were drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, and the league is now stacked at the most important position in football. There are a few teams that still don’t have a clear answer at the quarterback position going forward, though. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts are two teams that fit this description.
Mason Rudolph is currently QB1 in Pittsburgh, as both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson have found new homes, and it is still unclear what Aaron Rodgers’ plans for next season are. The Colts have 2023 No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson on their roster, but he has struggled mightily in his first two NFL seasons. ESPN recently laid out a hypothetical trade that would send Richardson to Pittsburgh, but what grades would these teams earn for this deal?
Anthony Richardson trade proposal
Steelers get: 2-45, QB Anthony Richardson
Colts get: 1-21, 2027 conditional pick
Steelers hypothetical trade grades
In this proposed deal, the Steelers find their franchise quarterback. While Richardson has had plenty of blunders and inaccuracy issues with the Colts, he has also shown off tons of potential. The Florida football product has a cannon for an arm and has already proven that he can be one of the best deep ball throwers in the NFL.
Additionally, Richardson is an excellent rushing quarterback. He is both fast and strong when running the football, and the Steelers have seemingly coveted rushing quarterbacks with their recent starters. Fields and Wilson for example, are among the best rushing quarterbacks of all time.
Development and a change of scenery could help Richardson unlock his sky-high potential. Teams and fans knew it would take a few years for him to understand the NFL game, yet so many have already seemingly given up on him after only two seasons. Another offseason of work could help take the quarterback to the next level, especially when it comes to his inaccuracy problems. Josh Allen – a player Richardson was compared to as a prospect – needed a couple of seasons in the NFL to fix his accuracy problems. Now Allen is a perennial MVP candidate.
Trading away a first-round pick for a player who has largely looked like a draft bust so far wouldn’t be the easiest decision for the Steelers. However, they would get a mid-second-round pick back, and it wasn’t long ago that Richardson was the No. 4 pick of the draft. There are certainly risks involved with this trade for Pittsburgh, but the Steelers are running out of options, and the reward could certainly be worth the risk with a player like Richardson.
Grade: B+
Colts hypothetical trade grades
Richardson has certainly struggled during his Colts tenure. His issues as a passer are glaring, but it is the injury woes that have really set him back. The quarterback played in four games before missing most of the 2023 season, and he was limited to 11 games in 2024. Availability is the greatest ability, and Richardson hasn’t shown that he will ever be able to stay healthy. That is especially true because his play style is very risk-prone, but it is also why he thrives. Making him more of a pocket passer doesn’t seem like the best way to maximize his talent.
Even so, it is too early to give up on Richardson in Indianapolis, at least because the Colts’ only other option is Daniel Jones. Although he once received a huge contract from the New York Giants, Jones is considered a draft bust in his own right. The Colts should give Richardson at least one or two more seasons under center before they give up on him. His potential is just too high to cut their losses this quickly.
Adding the first-round pick in this proposed deal would be nice, but the 21st pick isn’t close to as high as the slot where the Colts originally drafted Richardson. While there is a chance his trade value will continue to decline, as of right now, the quarterback is worth holding onto.
Grade: C+
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