The Indianapolis Colts and Anthony Richardson have mutually agreed to seek a trade, NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reported Thursday.
The 23-year-old quarterback, whom the Colts drafted fourth overall in 2023, has had a turbulent start to his NFL career, struggling with accuracy, injuries and inconsistency during his three seasons in the league. Over 17 games (15 starts), he's completed just 50.6 percent of his attempts for 2,400 yards with an 11:13 TD-to-INT ratio. He lost the Colts' QB1 job to Daniel Jones last August, taking the field just twice this past season (zero starts) before suffering an orbital bone fracture during pregame warmups in Week 6.
With one year remaining on his rookie contract and still owning a skill set that made him a top-five selection, Richardson figures to have several potential suitors, which begs the question:
Which team would be the best trade fit for Anthony Richardson?
PICK: Los Angeles Rams
Richardson's situation is a Catch-22. He has so little playing experience that he needs to get on the field in order to develop, yet he still is not ready to play at a consistent enough level to produce wins as a starter. Thus, the Rams would be an ideal landing spot. He would learn behind reigning MVP Matthew Stafford in the Sean McVay offense, and the only other QB on the current roster is Stetson Bennett, who was selected 124 spots behind Richardson in the 2023 draft. The hope would be for Richardson to emerge much like this offseason's top quarterback in the free agency market, Malik Willis, who saw drastic improvements under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, with the same offense McVay runs in L.A.
PICK: New York Jets
The Jets make the most sense. They just spent last season hoping Justin Fields could turn into a reliable starter. Richardson will cost a lot less, since he's still on a rookie deal, and he brings a skill set similar to that of Fields and Tyrod Taylor, last year's backup. There are weapons to work with -- between wide receiver Garrett Wilson and the reports that the team is working to keep running back Breece Hall -- and the offensive line has improved dramatically over the last two years. Adding a cost-effective quarterback like Richardson also would give this team more financial flexibility to keep building for the future.
PICK: Green Bay Packers
Malik Willis developed greatly as a backup for two seasons under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, and now, he's in line to earn a second starting opportunity in free agency. If Willis does sign with another team, Green Bay would be a great fit for Richardson, who would no doubt benefit learning from LaFleur and working behind Jordan Love. The former first-round QB has the talent to play in this league and could be the next quarterback to resurrect his career if he lands in the right system.
PICK: Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers
Sam Darnold went from former first-round bust to Super Bowl champion, and a huge factor in that career turnaround was his time learning from coaches Kyle Shanahan and Kevin O'Connell during stops in San Francisco and Minnesota, respectively. Richardson could be the NFL's next reclamation project if he lands in the right spot after his tumultuous stint in Indy. Learning under Shanahan or Sean McVay in Los Angeles could help Richardson turn his career around and potentially earn another chance to eventually start.
