The Green Bay Packers‘ decision to draft Utah State’s Jordan Love in 2020 – despite having future Hall of Fame quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, on the roster – has started to look like one of general manager, Brian Gutekunst’s better moves over the course of his tenure.
Rodgers has had a fairly strong start to the season in his new home with the Pittsburgh Steelers, going 4-1 in his first five games, throwing for 1,021 yards with a 68.8 completion percentage for a very respectable 105.4 quarterback rating.
But for Pittsburgh, thoughts need to start moving towards who will take over in 2026 and beyond.
Aaron Rodgers’ Replacement Could Be Ultra-High-Ceiling QB Talent
With that in mind, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report proposes that the team should consider making a trade for Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback and former fourth overall pick, Anthony Richardson.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers would be an ideal landing spot for Richardson.” Kay wrote on Tuesday.
“They recently helped rehabilitate the career of another first-round dual-threat QB in Justin Fields, helping him turn a six-start audition in 2024 into a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Jets.”
Kay believes that given Rodgers has made it pretty apparent that this current season will be his last, the Steelers could be smart to make a buy-low investment on one of the more impressive raw talents to have come into the league – ever.
“With Pittsburgh needing to find an heir to Aaron Rodgers, it would be sensible for the organization to acquire Richardson this season and install the beleaguered young QB as an understudy with potential to take over next season and beyond.”
Could Anthony Richardson Be The Next Franchise QB In Pittsburgh
Although the former University of Miami product vastly underperformed in his first semi-full season at the helm; throwing for just over 1,800 yards and completing just 47.7% of his passes for a dismal 61.6 quarterback rating over the course of his 11 starts in 2025; he has irrefutable gifts and a prototypical physical and mental traits for the position.
“Richardson is only 23 years old and has just about every unteachable trait a team could want in its quarterback. He stands a sturdy 6’4”, 244 pounds and shattered records at the combine with his world-class athleticism. He’s proved to be a capable scrambler in the NFL as well, picking up 634 yards and 10 touchdowns on his 115 career totes.”
Coming out of college in 2023, Richardson was always going to be a project rather than a day one (or two, three or four) starter.
His Miami tape was riddled with both incredibly explosive plays and eye-rolling mistakes, and not much has changed since entering the pros. Richardson made the best play his current Colts head coach, Shane Steichen, had ever seen back in September 2024, before turning into arguably the worst starting QB in football as the season went on.
The 23-year old talent likely needs to continue sitting and learning behind high-performing quarterbacks – like Rodgers – before once again going out onto the field and playing the position in a high stakes atmosphere.
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