Anthony

Richardson

Chris Ballard has emphasized lately that he “still thinks Richardson has something to offer.” We can certainly see the logic behind the Colts not doing another team a favor by letting Richardson become a free agent, but if there’s no market here, it seems likely that Richardson will likely just be the team’s third quarterback this season behind Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard.

With starting QB Daniel Jones (Achilles) rehabbing his season-ending injury from last year, presumed QB2 Riley Leonard will receive extra snaps this spring. When asked today if Richardson will be allowed to compete with Leonard for the QB2 role, Steichen “quickly sidestepped the topic,” prompting multiple follow-up questions from reporters. Steichen also “did not give a direct answer” when asked if Richardson has any limitations in his previously injured eye. A reporter followed up on the latter issue, but Steichen “simply repeated that the QB is ‘cleared to play.’” This doesn’t give us a whole lot to go on, but we expect reporters to follow up with Steichen and potentially Richardson on the matter. Boyd notably reported in February that Richardson had regained full vision in his right eye. We hope the initial reporting is indeed true.

Richardson stayed away during the previous two weeks, but showed up on Monday to join the team. The former No. 4 overall pick, who recently had his fifth-year option declined, is hoping to be traded or released before the start of next season, but he doesn’t appear to be on the move at this time. With second-year QB Riley Leonard expected to see most of the first-team reps while Daniel Jones continues to recover from his Achilles injury, Richardson will likely handle backup duties during drills if he continues to report. Richardson is in the final year of his rookie deal and appeared in only two games last season, completing 1-of-2 passes for nine yards.

Obviously this was always going to be the case, but it is now officially official. Richardson has languished on the trade block all offseason and may simply not have a real suitor at this point. Perhaps he’ll surface elsewhere once he is released or a team (Packers?) that hasn’t signed a real backup quarterback starts to understand the ramifications of that decision. For now, he’s likely to start the year behind Riley Leonard on Indy’s quarterback depth chart.

Per Chappell, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on Saturday that he “hadn’t given too much thought” to the fifth-year option that would have paid Richardson $22.483 million in 2027. Apparently, Ballard didn’t need long to pass on an extra year with Richardson. The 23-year-old quarterback received permission from the team to seek a trade, and as of Sunday, the Colts had not received any inquiries. Releasing Richardson at some point currently seems to be the most likely outcome for Indianapolis. The deadline to exercise team options for the 2023 rookie class is tomorrow.

Per Ballard, both the players and the team just have to “have a little patience here and see what happens.” Ballard adds that he does not know if Richardson and Moore will attend the Colts’ voluntary organized team activities next week. It seems likely that both players will be released at some point in the near future if they don’t want to play with the Colts this season.

The Colts have agreed to explore trades for both Moore and Richardson, so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to hear that neither player plans to be present for the voluntary offseason workout programs. For now, the trade market for both players has been quiet, but it’s possible they gain more steam during or after the NFL Draft, once teams have had a chance to evaluate their rosters and identify where needs still exist. Speaking later in the day, Colts GM Chris Ballard said the chance would consider releasing Moore if they were unable to find a trade partner for the veteran corner.

Richardson, a former first-round draft pick who has flamed out in three seasons with Indy, has been linked to other teams this offseason, including the Packers, who lost backup QB Malik Willis to the Dolphins in free agency. Ballard on Monday said there’s still a chance Richardson stays with the Colts in 2026. “There’s definitely a scenario there. He’s a good dude and he’s talented. I mean, I still want good for Anthony, man,” Ballard said. “I still think he’s got a lot in him. He’s had some freaking bad luck, but I still think Anthony has got a lot of ability and he’s maturing and growing. He’s still young.” The most inaccurate passer in the NFL since entering the league in 2023, Richardson, 23, has struggled with various injuries, including a severe eye injury suffered in a freak training accident last season. ESPN’s Stephen Holder said Richardson could be seen as expendable since Riley Leonard is “now seen as a viable No. 2 quarterback” following his late-season performance in 2025.

Previous reports have indicated that trade talks for Richardson are far enough along that a deal could be completed this weekend. The Buccaneers, Chiefs, Lions, Packers, Rams and Ravens have all reportedly checked in. While Holder reports that no deal is imminent, he points out the Packers, who lost backup QB Malik Willis this offseason, as the team to monitor. Compensation for Richardson in a trade is likely to be no more than a late-round draft pick. Richardson, who turns 24 in May, has started only 15 games in three seasons for the Colts.

Wouldn’t be the first trade of regrets between the Browns and Colts for a Richardson. The Vikings and Richardson reportedly have mutual interest, but the Browns are the second team we’ve seen publicly linked to them by the sourced men. It’s hard to fault any offensive-minded head coach for seeing Richardson’s tools and thinking they can work with them, but it’s going to be a major heat check by whoever ultimately takes the risk.