The Cincinnati Bengals’ Super Bowl hopes were dealt a crushing blow in Week 2 when star quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a devastating injury. Losing him again at this stage feels like déjà vu. Yet the NFL has no sympathy for setbacks. The Bengals must act decisively if they intend to salvage their 2025 season. The question isn’t just how to replace Burrow. It's whether Cincinnati can find a solution bold enough to keep them in contention until their franchise cornerstone returns.
Burrow suffers major turf toe setback
Burrow suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars when he was brought down on a sack. He will require toe surgery that is expected to sideline him for a minimum of three months. That means he will potentially miss a significant portion of the season. He was helped off the field with difficulty walking, and after a game-time evaluation, was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Fortunately, the Bengals still won with backup Jake Browning.
The Bengals will now be without their starting quarterback for at least three months. Again, Browning stepped in admirably. He threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns in the victory despite also committing three interceptions. Sure, the win was encouraging in the short term. However, it also leaves lingering questions about whether Browning is the long-term answer to guide Cincinnati through Burrow’s absence.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the Bengals' perfect Anthony Richardson trade offer to Colts after Joe Burrow injury.
Why Anthony Richardson makes sense
Enter Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts. Once hailed as one of the NFL’s most tantalizing quarterback prospects, Richardson now finds himself holding a clipboard in Indianapolis. He recently lost out in a position battle with Daniel Jones. The latter has started strong for the Colts with over 500 passing yards and two touchdowns through two games. Jones has led the team to a 2-0 record. Richardson’s situation has grown increasingly uncertain, with Indianapolis unlikely to pick up his fifth-year option.
For Cincinnati, this presents an opportunity. Richardson offers a totally different dynamic than Burrow. The young gun has athleticism, arm strength, and improvisation outside the pocket. Surrounded by elite offensive weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, he might finally unlock some of the upside that made him a top-four pick. Pairing Richardson with offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher could prove mutually beneficial. A change of scenery might be exactly what Richardson needs to find his groove.
Of course, the fit isn’t seamless. Richardson remains raw, and the Bengals would need to adapt their offense on the fly to suit his strengths. Zac Taylor and Pitcher would have to pivot away from Burrow’s precision passing-heavy system toward something more mobile and flexible. That could be a daunting midseason adjustment. Still, for a team facing a lost year without action, the potential reward outweighs the risk.
Proposed trade terms
So what would it take to pry Richardson away from Indianapolis? League insiders believe a fair package would include a mid-round pick. Maybe a fourth-round selection could work, especially if it's paired with conditional draft compensation tied to Richardson’s performance. Such a deal would echo past trades involving young quarterbacks who still carried upside but had fallen out of favor with their teams.
For the Bengals, the price is manageable. A fourth-rounder isn’t a crippling cost for a franchise in win-now mode. This is particularly true if Richardson can bridge the gap during Burrow’s recovery and provide insurance in case the starter struggles with durability long-term. Adding conditional clauses also protects Cincinnati if Richardson fails to deliver.
For the Colts, the trade frees them from a quarterback logjam while giving them draft capital to bolster their roster around Jones. With Jones playing efficiently and head coach Shane Steichen backing his leadership, Indianapolis could shift fully into building around him while collecting assets for the future. The deal would remove uncertainty while capitalizing on Richardson’s remaining value before it fades further.
What the Bengals stand to gain
Acquiring Richardson wouldn’t just be about surviving the next three months. It would give Cincinnati a quarterback with starting experience and untapped upside. Even if Burrow returns healthy and resumes his All-Pro trajectory, Richardson could serve as a valuable developmental backup.
In a league where quarterback depth is often the deciding factor between playoff berths and wasted seasons, having a second dynamic signal-caller could prove invaluable. If Burrow’s toe injury lingers or his play is limited late in the year, Richardson could step in with fresh legs and confidence. Long-term, the Bengals would also gain a young insurance policy. That's in case Burrow’s injury history continues to mount.
Bottom line
The Bengals cannot afford to sit idly by while their championship window threatens to slam shut. Jake Browning might deliver spot starts, but he is unlikely to sustain a contender through a grueling AFC slate. Anthony Richardson represents both a gamble and a lifeline. He still carries enormous upside who could steady Cincinnati through its darkest moment of the season.
For the Colts, the trade solves more problems than it creates. For the Bengals, it provides hope and a fighting chance. In this context, the perfect move could be the boldest one.
