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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is on contract with the team through 2026 with his fifth year option still available to pickup for 2027.
The Washington Commanders struck gold when they selected Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. In his rookie campaign, Daniels was named the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and led the Commanders to an NFC Championship game appearance. Then, in his sophomore campaign, the wheels began to fall off. Daniels missed 10 games due to three separate injuries.
Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota took the reins for the majority of the season, capping off his second year with the team. Now Mariota is an unrestricted free agent, and while the team would like to have him back, he may be swayed by another suitor.
While Mariota was a stable force under center, Sports Illustrated just listed a more risky backup option for the Commanders to sign at quarterback.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson Would Offer Washington Commanders Explosive Potential
GettyAnthony Richardson was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
Mike Kadlick of Sports Illustrated listed the Commanders as a top trade destination for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Richardson was benched in favor of Daniel Jones ahead of last season, and now many sources believe the former top-five draft pick will want a fresh start on a new team.
Kadlick’s main reason for listing Richardson as an option is his connection to Commanders assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator Brian Johnson. Johnson coached Richardson in 2020 when he was the Florida Gators’ offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
Johnson would have been one of the members who recruited Richardson to Florida. Now he has a chance to coach him at the NFL level. Richardson is most notably known for his untapped potential and explosive ability.
Richardson made his initial mark on the league at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, where he flashed his athleticism and displayed his unreal arm talent.
Despite his rare athletic profile, his professional career as a starting quarterback has been rocky.
He has displayed a dual-threat ability, throwing for 2,400 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 634 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground across three seasons in the league. However, he is not yet a refined passer, posting a career completion percentage of 50.6. And then you have to account for his injury history, which has forced him to miss 19 games.
Yet despite his struggles, he is still only 23 years old and younger than Jayden Daniels. He has shown flashes in his brief NFL stint, and if the Commanders can continue to develop him, the sky could be the limit.
Jayden Daniels is the certified starter, but keeping an explosive backup with a similar play style as an option behind him in case of emergency could pay dividends if a repeat of the 2025 season were to happen.
Commanders Looking to Continue Jayden Daniels Development Under New OC
Washington’s decision to move off of former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was initially shocking, given his success with Jayden Daniels. It was revealed that the team’s decision to move on was mainly due to creative differences between Kingsbury, head coach Dan Quinn, and general manager Adam Peters. Their vision for how to develop Daniels differed from Kingsbury’s.
The Commanders then promoted assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough into the role. Blough’s hiring was centered around his familiarity with Daniels and his ability to maximize his potential.
GettyWashington ran an NFL-low 192 plays with the quarterback under center over the past two seasons.
“With Blough, the Commanders want to run more plays under center to help the offense — and Daniels — evolve,” John Keim of ESPN wrote.
The team believes that Blough can keep the progress they’ve built and refine the areas that need work.
“We’re going to try to feature every part of Jayden in the way that makes him unique and special,” Quinn said.”
The future is still bright in Washington, and the team hopes they can unleash their young signal caller at full strength next season.
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