First-round pick: No. 21 overall

I considered a few other longer-shot possibilities, such as the Seahawks, but the recent indication is that they’re more likely to stick with Geno Smith in the short term and possibly pick his potential replacement high in the draft. And while the Rams might be a team to watch in the QB derby, depending on what happens with Matthew Stafford, I am not yet ready to put them in the mix for Sanders.

But why not the Steelers? They’re the best wild-card option right now in my mind, even if it would be a stretch to rank them among the favorites here.

There’s very little clarity on Russell Wilson’s status currently, even as he’s campaigned to return to Pittsburgh. Like Wilson, Justin Fields is a free agent — and the Steelers benched him for Wilson. They might want to work with Fields again, but would they bring him back as an unchallenged starter? Perhaps not.

At this moment, it feels like the Steelers are too far removed from the action, sitting with the 21st overall pick, to make a play for Sanders. But I would argue there is no guarantee that Sanders can’t slide a bit. Even in a draft where he and Ward are viewed as the top two options, QB-needy teams on this list might go for veterans at the position, pursuing players such as Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers or Wilson.

The Steelers selected Kenny Pickett in a similar range (No. 20 overall) three years ago. That didn’t work out, but we can assume their pursuit of a starting quarterback remains active until, well, they find a starting quarterback, and Sanders would have a pretty strong supporting cast in Pittsburgh. All that said, it doesn’t feel like the most likely scenario today.