Colin Cowherd is offering a radical idea to shake up the Pittsburgh Steelers and land a potential franchise quarterback. But it’s not going to be cheap to make happen. Opining on how the Steelers should fix their franchise and get out of the rut they find themselves in, Cowherd thinks the team should go all-in on making a play for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“I would trade T.J. Watt, George Pickens, two first-rounders and go get Shedeur Sanders if you think he’s a starting quarterback,” Cowherd said Thursday on The Herd. “Nobody that I talked to in the league thought Kenny Pickett was a starter. Backup, homegrown kid. But proactive is the way to do it.”
It’s a strikingly similar comment Cowherd made in September 2023 when he suggested trading Watt, Pickens, and three first-round picks to draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who became the No. 1 overall pick of the Chicago Bears. As the Williams pick proved, a supporting cast is key, especially a strong offensive line to support a rookie quarterback.
In past years, Cowherd has ripped the Steelers for being too defensive-minded and investing far too much in that side of the ball. Building the league’s highest-paid defense hasn’t led to a playoff win since 2016 and Pittsburgh’s yet to find a long-term quarterback to replace Ben Roethlisberger. Shedeur Sanders is regarded as one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft alongside Miami (Fla.)’s Cam Ward. But Sanders isn’t viewed as a consensus generational prospect Williams was, or at least close to one, without the elite physical tools blue-chip quarterbacks have.
Even with a massive haul to trade, it could be tough to move teams with a top draft pick off their spot if they love Sanders. The Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants hold the first three picks of April’s draft and they all need quarterback help. Still, Cowherd thinks it’s worth a try.
“Kansas City moved up, gave away picks, they had a Pro Bowl quarterback in Alex Smith,” he said. “Joe Flacco, Joe Flacco made a lot of money and won a lot of games in Baltimore, and they went and got Lamar Jackson.”
The Chiefs and Ravens traded up to land Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, moves that changed each franchise. Cowherd’s point about aggressively pursuing a quarterback prospect is well-taken and accurate but neither Kansas City nor Baltimore had to sell the farm and the cows to do so. Kansas City gave up two firsts and a third while Baltimore moved back up into the first round with a pair of second-round selections.
Any top-end quarterback prospect can’t be traded for from where Pittsburgh picks at No. 21. And the Steelers would have no interest trading a franchise cornerstone to make happen. Cowherd is pulling from the same playbook of “sell everything for a quarterback,” a song he’ll keep singing until the Steelers find a long-term option. I’m sure we’ll be back in 2026 when Cowherd is banging the table to trade Watt and company for Arch Manning.
