Anthony Richardson Won't Pursue Trade; Colts to Hold QB Competition with Daniel Jones

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson isn't shying away from a potential competition for the starting job leading up to the 2025 season.

Richardson's agent, Deiric Jackson, told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Tuesday that Richardson has no plans to seek a trade despite the reported addition of veteran quarterback Daniel Jones.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jones and the Colts agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract on Tuesday.

Regarding Richardson, Jackson told Pelissero, "AR will be ready to roll."

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also relayed a story on SportsCenter about Richardson from the recent NFL Combine.

"I talked to somebody close to Richardson at the Combine about this very subject, and they told me point blank, 'I don't care if Joe Montana is brought into the Colts, Richardson is going to compete with him,'" Fowler said.

Despite having only one mildly productive season as a starting quarterback at the collegiate level with Florida, the Colts made Richardson the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Richardson showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but his season ended after only four games due to a shoulder injury.

The 22-year-old entered his second NFL season in 2024 as the starter. However, following a disappointing start to the campaign, he was temporarily supplanted by veteran Joe Flacco as the starter.

Head coach Shane Steichen eventually went back to Richardson as the starter, and he started five of the season's final seven games, but the results didn't get much better.

Overall, Richardson had a winning record as the starter last season at 6-5, but he completed just 47.7 percent of his passes for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Much of his success came as a runner, as he rushed for 499 yards and six scores.

Given that the Colts seemed to be uncertain about Richardson's status as their franchise quarterback last season, it comes as little surprise that they decided to bring in some competition.

Jones, 27, is a former first-round pick in his own right, as the New York Giants selected him sixth overall in the 2019 NFL draft.

Nicknamed "Danny Dimes," Jones did some good things over his first three seasons before truly breaking out in 2022.

Jones completed 67.2 percent of his passes and threw 15 touchdown passes while setting a career high in passing yards (3,205) and a career low in interceptions (five).

He also had a sizable impact as a runner with a career-high 708 yards and seven touchdowns.

All of that resulted in the Giants going a surprising 9-7-1 and reaching the playoffs. They even scored an upset win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Jones was rewarded with a four-year, $160 million contract, which is a decision that backfired on the G-Men in a big way.

Injuries limited Jones to six games in 2023, but he struggled even when healthy, throwing for 909 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions.

While Jones was given an opportunity to bounce back last season, he threw for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 starts, and he was released in the middle of the campaign.

Jones has posted a record of 3-13 as a starter over the past two seasons, yet he will seemingly be given a legitimate chance to win the starting job in Indy.

One way or the other, the Colts may be banking on ending up with a quarterback who has something to prove, as Jones could be motivated by having a new lease on life, while Richardson may be motivated to prove he is still the guy.