Anthony Richardson's Colts Future, Potential Trade Request Discussed in Latest NFL Rumors

Three years after being selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Anthony Richardson's time as a member of the Indianapolis Colts could come to an end this offseason.

Per ESPN's Stephen Holder, it is starting to seem "inevitable" that Richardson will request a trade from the Colts this offseason as they plan to move forward with Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback when he is able to return from a torn Achilles.

It is unclear where Richardson stands in his recovery from an eye injury suffered in October during pre-game warmups.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Dec. 18 that Richardson returned to practice, but he still had "some vision limitations" in the right eye that was injured.

Richardson said on that same day he has "improved a lot" since the injury originally occurred.

The Colts are in a very difficult spot with their quarterback position this offseason. There is optimism that Jones can be cleared by the time training camp opens, but it would seem to be in their best interest to add a strong backup given the struggles that recent quarterbacks returning from Achilles injuries have had.

It didn't seem like Richardson would be a viable option for the No. 2 role in Indianapolis anyway. He struggled in his first two seasons, which prompted Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard to bring in Jones as a free agent last offseason.

Another factor that could contribute to the Colts' decision in whether or not to trade Richardson is their lack of draft capital. They don't have a first-round pick for the next two years stemming from the Sauce Gardner trade.

Even though Richardson is unlikely to bring back a significant return, the Colts could get something of value. Kenny Pickett, who was a first-round pick in 2022, was traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024 for three draft picks, including a third-round selection.

Richardson has one fewer year remaining on his rookie deal than Pickett did at the time, so his value might be slightly lower. But he's still only 23 and has tremendous physical skill that a new head coach might be intrigued at trying to develop.

The Florida alum has thrown for 2,400 yards, run for 634 yards and accounted for 21 touchdowns in 17 games over the past three seasons with Indianapolis.