Anthony Richardson

Richardson did not start a single game in 2025 after landing on Injured Reserve following a broken orbital bone, and he experienced pain in his throwing shoulder after an OTA practice, with aggravation in the AC joint he injured during the 2023 season. Pattern of soft-tissue durability issues creates ceiling limitations.

Richardson was the Colts' backup quarterback until a freak accident prior to Week 6 ended his season with a fractured orbital bone and vision limitations. Daniel Jones had a great showing in his first year with the Colts, and Riley Leonard proved to be a capable backup QB, leaving Richardson's path murky.

The Colts plan to re-sign Daniel Jones to a multi-year deal and have Riley Leonard as a proven backup, leaving Richardson as the likely QB3 with no clear path to starting in Indianapolis. GM Chris Ballard indicated Richardson's future depends on his health and vision recovery.

As a 2023 first-round pick, the Colts' deadline to exercise Richardson's 5th-year option is May 2026. Given his QB3 status and trade request, the option is unlikely to be picked up, making him an unrestricted free agent after 2026 and creating usage and roster security uncertainty all season.

Richardson has formally requested a trade and been given permission to seek one, but the post-draft market has stalled — Colts GM Chris Ballard confirmed calls exist but nothing materialized, and evaluators are pegging his return value at a Day 3 pick. Diminished organizational leverage caps any upside from a move.

Through two-plus NFL seasons, Richardson carries a career 50.6% completion rate and has never logged a full season of consistent starting play. His 2025 structured data shows only 2 games played at 1.1 PPG (QB59 rank), and he has not demonstrated the accuracy or decision-making growth needed to command a QB1 job on his own merits.

The New York Jets list Richardson as one of three quarterbacks they should target for the 2026 season. The Colts quarterback simply needs a change of scenery, as too many bad-luck things have happened to him with Indianapolis, and sometimes moving teams is all a player needs to restart their career.

Richardson, given permission to seek a trade, represents a high-ceiling reclamation project for a QB-needy team. Landing in a supportive offense with a patient coaching staff could rapidly restore his dynasty value — the arm talent and mobility that made him a top-5 pick have not disappeared.

Multiple QB-needy franchises have been linked with mutual interest — Vikings (formally reported mutual interest), Broncos (Day 3 acquisition cost), Packers, and Rams are among named fits. A landing spot with a strong OL, offensive weapons, and a QB-development staff could meaningfully reset his dynasty value from its current depressed floor.

At just 23 years old, Richardson is younger than most backup QBs in the NFL. Even in a worst-case 2026 as a clipboard holder, he hits unrestricted free agency at 24 — still firmly within the prime development window for QBs and retaining significant long-term dynasty optionality.

If the 5th-year option is not exercised, Richardson becomes a UFA after 2026 and can sign with a QB-needy team that fits his skillset on his own terms. A new coaching environment and scheme fit is his most realistic value-recovery path, and several teams will have needs at the position.

At 23 years old with elite size-speed athleticism as a former top-4 overall pick, Richardson remains a legitimate reclamation project. His current dynasty price (2572, day-3-pick territory) is historically cheap for a player this age with his physical profile — the market is pricing in failure, not ceiling.