The Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Anthony Richardson took the first step toward a breakup.
The Colts and Richardson have mutually agreed to seek a trade, NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reported Thursday, per sources informed of the situation.
Indy's brass met with the QB's agent, Deiric Jackson, on Thursday morning and concluded it was best for both sides to examine trade options, Wolfe added.
The No. 4 overall pick in 2023 entered the league with an enticing athletic profile, but injuries waylaid his rookie campaign. Richardson then struggled with accuracy and consistency in 2024, playing in 11 games. Last year, he was beaten out by Daniel Jones for the starting gig and appeared in just two games (zero starts) before suffering an orbital bone fracture during pregame warmups in Week 6.
In three seasons since the Colts used a top-five pick on the Florida product, Richardson completed 50.6% of 350 pass attempts for 2,400 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
One team to keep an eye on, according to Wolfe, is the Minnesota Vikings, who are trying to fill out their QB room alongside J.J. McCarthy and have interest in Richardson.
On Tuesday, general manager Chris Ballard rejected the idea that, with the Colts planning to bring back Jones, Richardson didn't have a future in the organization. Ballard added that Richardson has been cleared from his injury.
"I'm not gonna say he needs a complete fresh start," Ballard said Tuesday at the Scouting Combine. "Anthony's still young. He's still developing. So we'll see what the future holds. But I still believe in Anthony."
After meeting with the QB's reps, however, the sentiment is that Richardson's future is elsewhere.
Given Richardson's athletic ability, someone will take a chance on him as a rehab project. However, the return on any trade will be minimal, at best, and a far cry from the first-round pick they used on the talented but inexperienced passer.
Similar to fellow top-five QB Trey Lance washing out of San Francisco and struggling to regain his standing, Richardson has an uphill battle to become more than just a preseason quarterback. However, in the right system, his athleticism and deep-ball prowess could be dynamic. He's the latest example of the NFL not being a great incubator for quarterbacks who lack experience and need time on the field to truly grow.
Generally, when sides agree to seek a trade, if nothing materializes, a release follows. Whether the Colts follow that route or keep him through the summer in case injuries strike elsewhere remains to be seen. But it's clear that Richardson's future no longer resides in Indy.
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