Anthony Richardson's future with the Indianapolis Colts seems nonexistent, and the young quarterback could soon find himself with another team. Many teams would probably take a chance on Richardson, but an NFL insider specifically threw out one: the Los Angeles Rams.
Richardson was drafted with the fourth overall selection in 2023 and was named the Colts' starter at the outset of both his rookie and second seasons. However, he suffered from injuries and poor play, which prevented him from ending either season as the Colts' starter.
This year, Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen named free-agent signing Daniel Jones as his starting quarterback after an offseason competition between the former New York Giants first-round pick and Richardson. And while the Colts lost this past weekend (to the Rams), Jones led his new team to a 3-0 start, seemingly holding off a potential Richardson return to QB1, barring injury, for the foreseeable future.
And that's partly why ESPN's Dan Graziano's “sense” is that Richardson “would be open to joining a premier playcaller such as Sean McVay as a developmental player” while sitting behind Matthew Stafford.
“Richardson is an interesting one,” Graziano wrote. “I remember a couple of teams wondering if Indy would be open to moving him during free agency. So far, they've insisted they aren't, but you're right. If Jones keeps playing well and leads them to their first division title in more than a decade, who's to say the Colts don't decide he's their future at quarterback and sign him to an extension?
“In general, acquiring a starting QB at the trade deadline is tough, because in most cases it's a guy who must learn a new offense on the fly. By the time he's up to speed, it could be too late for him to save the season. That's why someone like Richardson, whom teams might view for development in the long term, makes more sense. But there are situations that come up where a team with high hopes finds itself with a sudden need and might be willing to take the risks involved with bringing in someone from outside its system, right?”
In his 15 NFL games, Richardson has completed 50.6% of his passes for 2,391 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He has also rushed for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Colts host the Las Vegas Raiders this week, while McVay and the Rams play their NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers, tomorrow night in Inglewood.
