Jaguars' Fierce Rival Ripped For Trade Deadline Decision

One of the Jacksonville Jaguars' top rivals is being blasted for a decision they made at the NFL trade deadline.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) scrambles with the ball as Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (23) looks to tackle Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't going anywhere this season, so one of the only positive things Jaguars fans can do is take solace in the mistakes of their rivals.

The AFC South is not nearly as menacing as it looked heading into the season, as the Houston Texans are stumbling and the Tennessee Titans -- well, they stink.

Then there is the Indianapolis Colts, who got off to a solid start but have since dropped three games in a row thanks much in part to an unstable quarterback situation.

The Colts have benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco, which had some wondering if Indianapolis would jettison Richardson at the trade deadline.

The Colts opted to hold on to the young signal-caller, which has drawn the ire of ESPN's Ben Solak.

"Let this be a lesson in sunk cost for you young kids out there," Solak wrote. "The Colts are clearly out on the Richardson experiment, and if you're out, you got to get out while the getting is good. I strongly believe the Colts could have gotten a top-70ish draft pick for Richardson had they traded him this past week. The Cardinals got a second-rounder for Josh Rosen in 2019 after they'd already drafted Kyler Murray, for Pete's sake!"

Not that Jacksonville had a great deadline in its own right, but the Jaguars haven't really gotten shredded for the decisions they made.

Instead, Solak has taken aim at the Colts and is questioning why they didn't just move Richardson while they had the chance.

In fairness, Indianapolis may not be out on Richardson entirely. Yes, the Colts benched him, but he is just 22 years old and has ample time to grow. Perhaps the team feels that it can work with him during the offseason and get him back under center in 2025?

Or maybe Indianapolis is just biding its time and will ultimately trade him once the season is over?

The former No. 4 overall pick is under team control through 2027, so the Colts don't have to be in any rush to trade him. Sending him packing in a panic move at the deadline may not have been the best course of action.

Indianapolis can always wait until the offseason to decide what the future holds for Richardson.

Either way, the Colts' massive uncertainty at the quarterback position is great news for the Jaguars.

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