Colts Retain Ballard, Opening Door for Rams to Acquire Richardson for Cheap

Colts owner Jim Irsay announced HC Shane Steichen and GM Chris Ballard would return in 2025, opening the door for QB Anthony Richardson's departure

Dec 22, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) gives a thumbs up before the snap during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

It is arguable that no quarterback in the NFL splits opinions as much as the Colts' Anthony Richardson. Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has been a failure in Indianapolis, losing his rookie season due to injury and finishing his sophomore effort with more questions and doubts about his professional future than there were during his pre-draft process.

Richardson's 2024 campaign saw him substitute himself out of a game due to fatigue, leading to his benching in favor of Flacco. Then the Colts gave him the starting job back once Flacco performed poorly just to see him continue to lose favor in the locker room with many citing a "lack of maturity" from the gunslinger. Richardson ended the year injured with a back issue.

Richardson's numbers are also abysmal. He has less than 2,500 passing yards in 15 professional games, 11 passing touchdowns to 13 interceptions, and an 8-7 overall record. So one must ask why would the Rams want to take a chance on him.

The answer is very simple. The Colts are an institutional mess with no clear indication of who is in charge while continually employing a team-building process that destroys quarterbacks. Andrew Luck's career was cut in half due to mismanagement, Philip Rivers retired after one season with the organization as did Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz was ordered to leave by Jim Irsay after losing to 2-14 Jacksonville in the 2021 regular season finale, eliminating them from playoff contention in a game that was a win and in scenario, and Jacoby Brissett was repeatedly elevated from backup to starter and vise verse in his four years there, giving him no time to find his rhythm.

Irsay himself has continually interjected his opinion and subsequent demands over the years calling into question how much power Ballard has and how much of a leash he still retains. If Ballard has one more shot, it is unlikely he wants to run in back with Richardson, and considering the QB decisions made under Ballard and Irsay, it also seems Richardson is all out of rope.

Richardson is an athletic freak with a cannon arm, solid mobility and solid frame. His flaws all come from a lack of consistency in his coaching as in the past five years as a player, he has had to deal with multiple coaches who have taken him in and out of football games for reasons sometimes beyond his control. This has led to a poor mindset that has plagued his entire career.

The Rams would give Richardson the time, the consistency, and the belief he needs to grow as a person first and as a player second. He would sit behind Matthew Stafford, he would participate in Sean McVay's QB rehab program that just did wonders for Jimmy Garoppolo and he's still on a rookie deal for the next two years. Richardson also has a fifth-year option.

The Rams could get him for a third-round pick at the most but more likely a fifth-round pick. They may have to throw in a seventh for good measure, but who cares? The team constantly gets comp picks, and if Richardson doesn't work out, he's an easy-cut candidate. It's a low risk, high reward deal for the most important position in football.

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