How the Steelers can land Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in deep trouble at the quarterback position.

Right now, the only quarterback on the roster is Mason Rudolph, a well-known retread better suited to backup duties. Mike Tomlin can probably win nine games with me as the starting QB, but ideally Pittsburgh can get a more promising option under center.

The primary focus in most Steelers circles, of course, is Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP pretty much has two options at this point: sign with the Steelers or retire. And, rest assured, he will take his sweet time making that decision. We've heard nary a peep from Rodgers' camp through the first week of April and it's unclear if he will even sign before the NFL Draft.

That leaves Pittsburgh in a bind. With the No. 21 pick, the Steelers aren't really in a position to select the top quarterbacks, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Pittsburgh would then need to reach on the next-best options, such as Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe, if the goal is to install a rookie. We know what happened last time the Steelers reached on a first-round quarterback with glaring flaws (see: Pickett, Kenny).

Don't rule out a far more ambitious course of action, however. The Steelers hosted Shedeur Sanders for a meeting on Tuesday, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Might that mean a trade scenario is in play?

Here's how the Steelers can acquire Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft

Sanders' draft range seems to expand by the day. There's a nonzero chance he falls to Pittsburgh at No. 21 if enough teams balk, but it still feels unlikely for the consensus second-best quarterback to tumble so far — even in a weak draft at the position.

There's a good chance Sanders does fall past the New York Giants at No. 3, though, which means he could end up within Pittsburgh's range if the Steelers package a few picks and trade up. The New Orleans Saints are a popular destination at No. 9, while the Indianapolis Colts (No. 14) could also use a more polished option than Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson.

So, for the sake of argument, let's say the Steelers need to get up to No. 9 or higher to secure Sanders. That means dialing up the Saints (or the No. 8-pick Panthers, or the No. 7-pick Jets) and offering a robust collection of lesser picks, starting with No. 21. Something like this:

There are endless permutations of a trade like this, but we generally see a structure in this mold. New Orleans gets a few mid-round picks in incentive to moving back 12 spots in the first round, while the Steelers pick up the slack with a couple sixth and seventh-round selections and splurge on a popular quarterback.

This feels like an improbable outcome, but the Steelers should absolutely explore it. Sanders is a far more appealing option than any of the alternatives available to Pittsburgh, even if you're skeptical of him as a top-shelf prospect. Rodgers is 41 and carries too much baggage. Dart, Milroe, and other lower-level QB prospects just don't present the same day-one upside as Sanders.

For all his warts, Sanders is a precise, efficient passer who thrived despite facing immense pressure behind Colorado's patchwork offensive line. With DK Metcalf and George Pickens now leading the Steelers WR room, he'd have a couple explosive playmakers to frequent. It's a tantalizing possibility for a team (and fanbase) and desperate need of stability at the QB position.