Insider Says Colts Receiving Richardson Trade Talks

The Indianapolis Colts are getting trade inquiries for Anthony Richardson after getting benched.

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks up after a play during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts (4-4) face off tonight on Sunday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings (5-2) after a tough loss to the division-rival Houston Texans in week eight. However, the story dominating the news is the benching of quarterback Anthony Richardson for veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco. Now, per insider Jordan Schultz, teams around the NFL are inquiring about trading for the former number four overall pick (2023).

Sources: Teams have inquired with the #Colts about the possibility of trading QB Anthony Richardson, who was benched this week, though a trade is considered unlikely.

Several teams I spoke to still view Richardson as a franchise-caliber quarterback, and view Indy pulling the… pic.twitter.com/ptiygSQuaB

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 3, 2024

Several teams around the league have offenses that Richardson may elevate or fit, but Indianapolis with Shane Steichen's scheme (for now) is the best situation. Also, when considering weapons like running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receivers Micheal Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, Richardson is a great quarterback to fit those players. While the benching of the 22-year-old is cumbersome given he was supposed to remain the starter, it's not enough that the Colts should even think about trading Richardson.

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The Colts have looked inept when dealing with quarterbacks post-Andrew Luck, but if they trade Richardson after a mere 10 starts, they will be considered idiotic while possibly ruining the future of the franchise. Richardson was the investment that Indianapolis trusted in 2023, so if the organization gives up somehow on the former Florida Gator prospect by trading him away, it will go down as the most disappointing thing to happen in the Chris Ballard era for Indianapolis. The hope is that benching Richardson now can somehow help his development despite the plan being for him to start immediately.

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) runs with the ball during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The other subject that stands out from Schultz's post is that the teams inquiring about a trade for Richardson think Indianapolis is 'premature' in benching the QB after 10 starts in the NFL. This is the consensus, with history showcasing that benched young quarterbacks typically don't bounce back in the pros. Can this situation with Steichen's decision be an outlier for Richardson? Only time will tell, but if Flacco starts to fall apart and look washed, Richardson is the backup field general and must be ready at all times to take over the offense again.

Don't expect the Colts to give up on Richardson this early. While they're moving forward with Flacco for the rest of the year, there's a chance that Steichen was wrong about Richardson's day-one readiness. Perhaps he needed to sit two or three seasons behind a vet like Gardner Minshew or Flacco, but it's too late to look to the past now. Indianapolis believes that Richardson can make it through this low point in his career, and the young passer hasn't lost confidence in the matter. If everything plays out as it should, 2025 will be a year where Richardson has had enough experience to truly lead the Colts without stress and worry.

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