Colts' Anthony Richardson Sr. linked with AFC North team after latest benching

Shortly after the Indianapolis Colts confirmed that Daniel Jones will serve as their starting quarterback over Anthony Richardson Sr. against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 7, Richardson's agent hinted that the signal-caller could want a change of scenery. 

For an article published on Monday morning, ESPN's Bill Barnwell suggested that a Pittsburgh Steelers team that has 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers as its QB1 could acquire Richardson for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick.

"The Steelers wouldn't be on the hook for an exorbitant deal, as he is owed $1M in 2025 and $5.4M in 2026, all of which is guaranteed," Barnwell wrote about Richardson. "If the Steelers think there's a possibility of him turning into a viable starter next season, the 23-year-old would be worth the risk, especially given their current alternatives."

It's unlikely that either career backup Mason Rudolph or 2022 seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson will emerge as a long-term replacement for Rodgers. While Pittsburgh also has Will Howard in its quarterback room, the 2025 sixth-rounder is a developmental prospect at best. 

As for Richardson, he was named Indianapolis' Week 1 QB1 as a rookie in the summer of 2023 after he made just 13 college starts with the Florida Gators. In total, he has missed 17 regular-season games due to injury as a pro. He was also temporarily benched last fall after head coach Shane Steichen determined that Richardson needed to improve his game preparation. 

Learning as a backup to a future Hall of Famer could give Richardson the type of career reset he may need. Meanwhile, Barnwell mentioned that Richardson could be a good fit for the system run by Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

"Smith's predilection for the run game is well-known, and while he hasn't always had quarterbacks who could feature in the designed run game, he built in concepts for Marcus Mariota and Justin Fields to make an impact with their legs," Barnwell added. "Some coaches aren't comfortable bringing in a player off the bench for a package of plays, but Tomlin and Smith used Fields in spots during the second half of last season, including a zone-read play that sealed a 44-38 win over the Bengals late in the fourth quarter."

Smith reportedly favored keeping Fields in the starting lineup last fall after the quarterback guided the Steelers to a 4-2 record as Russell Wilson recovered from a calf problem. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin instead turned to Wilson in Week 7 of the campaign, and Wilson remained the team's starter through a wild-card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

For what it's worth, Steichen and Co. seemingly want to continue developing Richardson even though Jones is now atop the team's depth chart. If, however, it's determined that Richardson and the Colts would both benefit from a divorce, the Steelers could become a landing spot for the third-year pro who remains a work in progress.