The 2025 NFL trade deadline came and went. The Indianapolis Colts, of course, made a blockbuster move, acquiring cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner from the New York Jets.
No more deals can be made until March. Who will be the Colts’ most valuable trade chip during the 2026 offseason? According to Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon, it will be quarterback Anthony Richardson:
“Indianapolis Colts: QB Anthony Richardson
Daniel Jones has almost certainly done enough to return to the starting role in 2026, so it’s an ideal time for the Colts to move on from the 23-year-old Richardson. Somebody should be willing to see if a new setting will unlock something in the 2023 No. 4 overall pick. He’d also be relatively cheap in a walk year in 2026, while saving the Colts more than $5 million in cap space.”
There were Anthony Richardson trade rumors earlier this season. However, he obviously stayed in Indianapolis. Yet, he certainly could be moved next spring.
Anthony Richardson Picked as Colts’ Most Valuable Offseason Trade Chip
From Future Franchise Quarterback to Unused Backup
2022 was an awful season for the Colts. The team finished the year with a 4-12-1 record. Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, and Nick Foles each had starts at quarterback. None of those guys proved to be the answer. As a result, the Colts landed the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis was in desperate need of a quarterback to build around. With Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers) and C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans) unavailable, the Colts picked Anthony Richardson fourth overall, passing up fellow signal-caller Will Levis.
The extremely athletic Richardson was supposed to become Indy’s franchise quarterback. But that just hasn’t materialized. Richardson missed most of his rookie year due to injury. Then last season, he was temporarily benched in favor of Joe Flacco. Plus, he had accuracy issues, completing just 47.7% of his passes.
This year, Richardson was expected to beat out Daniel Jones for the starting quarterback job. Yet, Jones surprised most people and won the training camp battle. And the rest is history. Jones has taken off and become a star in Indy this season. Meanwhile, Richardson was demoted to a backup role.
Will the Colts Trade Richardson?
Again, Jones has been playing great football for the most part this season. The former New York Giant is second in passing yards (2,659) and has helped lead the Colts to an impressive 8-2 record.
Jones has taken a step back, though, recently. He has committed a total of seven turnovers over his last two games. However, if he can get back to playing like he did earlier in the season, he’ll likely be the Colts’ long-term solution at quarterback.
With that said, it wouldn’t be shocking at all if Anthony Richardson is traded in the offseason. Surely, a few teams will be interested in the former first-round pick.
Quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and now Jones this year have revived their careers after moving to other teams. Richardson could be the next guy to become a star with a change of scenery. It’s unclear, though, what the Colts would receive in a Richardson trade.
Main Image: Christine Tannous – Imagn Images
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