Quarterback Anthony Richardson is still a member of the Indianapolis Colts, but his odds of making it to the Week 1 roster shrink with each passing day. Selected with the fourth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Florida product boasts incredible athletic upside and one of the strongest arms in all of football. In terms of raw potential, he’s the closest thing to Cam Newton we’ve seen since the former MVP was at the peak of his powers. However, he has yet to put it all together and doesn’t have a clear role on this team.
Richardson has battled injury and inconsistency since entering the league, and no longer feels like a fit on the Colts. Following two disappointing seasons early in his career, Richardson lost the starting job to veteran Daniel Jones last year and couldn’t even play when Jones suffered an Achilles injury. Indianapolis extended Jones to be their quarterback of the future, and sixth-round pick Riley Leonard looked good in his relief appearances last year. He’s more than capable of being the primary backup, which only increases the odds of an Anthony Richardson trade.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone that the Colts declined the fifth-year option on Richardson’s contract. Now set to be a free agent following the season, Richardson is currently a high-priced backup who could very well be the third-best quarterback on this roster. It makes sense for Indianapolis to test the market and trade him for whatever they can get, but will there be any willing suitors?
Colts Decline Anthony Richardson’s Fifth-Year Option; Trade Seems Likely
Looking around the league, it’s hard to see any team with a clear need for Anthony Richardson. The quarterback is anything but a safe bet, but nobody can deny his natural talent and elite upside. It stands to reason that, if anyone would want him, it would be a team that could keep him on the sidelines and try to develop him. Unfortunately for Richardson, however, most of those teams selected a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Los Angeles Rams have an aging MVP in Matthew Stafford, who is essentially playing on a year-to-year basis and, prior to the draft, could have used a high-upside backup to develop. However, the team used their first-round pick on Alabama’s Ty Simpson, so they won’t need Richardson. The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, meanwhile, used third-round picks on Georgia’s Carson Beck and Penn State’s Drew Allar, respectively. Just like with Simpson, the presence of these youngsters eliminates any role Richardson could possibly fill on the roster.
One team that could still use someone like Anthony Richardson is the New York Jets. While the team already traded for Geno Smith, the former second-round pick is nothing more than a short-term starter and bridge quarterback. The team recently brought Russell Wilson in for a workout, which heavily suggests they’re looking for more depth at the position. Richardson could compete with Smith for the starting job, and even if he doesn’t win it, he could potentially grow into a franchise quarterback with some time on the bench. It’s worth a shot, as Richardson probably won’t cost anything more than a late-round pick swap.
