close
close

Could the Colts trade QB Anthony Richardson?

Posted on by Kennedy
Could the Colts trade QB Anthony Richardson?

INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts have no current plans to trade Anthony Richardson after he was benched for Joe Flacco this week, a team source told IndyStar.

The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Of course, some around the league will inquire about the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, who was benched last Tuesday after just 10 career starts.

The decision follows an organization-wide promise to give Richardson the opportunity to learn the trade and improve his accuracy on the field, and coach Shane Steichen is presenting it as a season-long change effective immediately.

Richardson seemed surprised by the news and was initially unclear about what had changed.

“I’m using this moment as an opportunity to grow and just learn from my mistakes,” Richardson said.

MORE: “I was like, 'Wow'”: How the Colts found out Anthony Richardson was on the bench and their reaction

Since his pre-draft meetings with the Colts, Richardson was under the impression that he would learn something from game representatives.

If that is still his mindset or if he has lost confidence in the plan over him, it is always possible that he could request a trade, but the news remains fresh.

Based on historical precedent, if the Colts were to consider trading Richardson, they could use the 49ers' Trey Lance deal in which they received a fourth-round pick from the Cowboys. This move came in Lance's third season after Brock Purdy took over as starting quarterback for the short and long term.

The Colts are not in a similar situation as the bench move only happened a week ago and they could use Richardson again at some point. After all, Flacco is in his 17th yearTh Season.

“I still believe he’s the future of this team,” captain and linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “I know this sounds crazy to everyone right now, but I still believe he is the future of the Indianapolis Colts.”

Teams will likely make decisions this week anyway, as Richardson's theoretical trade value is at its lowest and there is always a short- and long-term need for quarterbacks in the NFL.

The Giants have struggled with Daniel Jones' issues since signing him to a long-term contract extension. Brian Daboll earned the job by developing Josh Allen from a player who completed 52% of his passes as a rookie to an MVP runner-up in his third season. From a purely athletic and accuracy standpoint, Allen was used as a comparison for Richardson's potential ceiling.

The Seahawks are very interested in recruiting Richardson as a possible heir to Geno Smith, a source close to Richardson told IndyStar.

The Panthers benched Bryce Young before bringing back No. 1 overall pick Andy Dalton to replace him. Carolina chose Young over Richardson in the 2023 draft, but now has a different general manager and coach.

The Raiders have already made a few quarterback changes this season, starting again with Gardner Minshew, who was Richardson's teammate last season in Indianapolis.

When is the NFL trade deadline?

Tuesday, November 5th.

When is the NFL trade deadline?

November 5th, 4 p.m.

Colts 2025 NFL Draft Picks

The Colts have all seven of their own picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and currently have no other picks.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *