Life in the NFL has not gone well for former top-five pick Anthony Richardson, and a recent article suggests the team could trade him ahead of his third season in the league. Selected out of Florida, the physically gifted quarterback struggled to stay on the field as a rookie, appearing in just four games while completing 59.5% of his passes for 577 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
He stayed mostly healthy in 2024 but crashed and burned with the extended opportunity. Starting and appearing in 11 games, Richardson completed just 47.7% of his passes for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 62.2 PFF grade, the 35th-best mark out of 42 eligible quarterbacks. The team signed veteran Daniel Jones to compete for the starting job, and Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes it’s time for the Colts to turn the page on the athletic disappointment.
“Richardson has been so bad that Daniel Jones was brought in to compete for the starting job in Indianapolis. And if that competition truly is fair and open, Jones is going to win – bad though he may be, Jones can at least occasionally throw an accurate pass,” Davenport writes. “…[I]f the Colts did get a reasonable offer for Richardson, they should take it.”
Colts Could Trade Anthony Richardson After Two Seasons
Potential Fits
New Orleans Saints
With Aaron Rodgers now on the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New Orleans Saints are the only team remaining with no veteran option on the depth chart. Following Derek Carr’s retirement, Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and second-round rookie Tyler Shough are battling for the vacant starting quarterback job. Rattler and Haener are a combined 0-7 in their NFL careers, and Rattler finished the 2024 season with the worst PFF grade among quarterbacks. Perhaps Tyler Shough can develop into the real deal, but an Anthony Richardson trade would give this team another dart throw to attempt and solve their quarterback woes.
New York Jets
Justin Fields is the quarterback of the present in New York, but he may not be the quarterback of the future. The former first-round pick is too good to be a backup, but he’s not quite good enough to be a franchise quarterback. Currently playing on a two-year deal, the team could ride with Fields in the short term, trade for Anthony Richardson, and see if he can develop into a long-term answer. Richardson came into the league as a raw prospect, so perhaps some time on the bench could help him refine his skills.
Baltimore Ravens
Anthony Richardson will never replace Lamar Jackson on the depth chart, but that doesn’t mean Baltimore shouldn’t send a late-round pick for his services. While Cooper Rush is an adequate backup, he lacks the athleticism to play in this type of offense. Should something happen to Jackson, Baltimore would need to completely reinvent their offense to compensate for Rush’s physical shortcomings. Say what you will about Richardson, but he’s one of the few quarterbacks in football who can match Jackson’s elite physical capabilities. Nobody is saying Richardson will put up Jackson’s numbers in this system, but he could keep the ship afloat.
Main Photo: Junfu Han – Imagn Images
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