In light of the Indianapolis Colts and QB Anthony Richardson mutually agreeing to seek a trade this offseason, there are some ideal landing spots. NFL.com’s panel of experts broke down four teams that could be logical for the former No. 4 overall pick.
The Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers were all listed for the former Florida QB. However, the Rams were mentioned more than once, so that could be an intriguing destination for Richardson, as he would sit behind Matthew Stafford.
The Rams just went to the NFC Championship, proving they can still do it at a high level with Stafford. Head coach Sean McVay is among the better “quarterback whisperers” in the NFL and a year for Richardson to sit would be beneficial.
“Sam Darnold went from former first-round bust to Super Bowl champion, and a huge factor in that career turnaround was his time learning from coaches Kyle Shanahan and Kevin O’Connell during stops in San Francisco and Minnesota, respectively,” former RB Maurice Jones-Drew said. “Richardson could be the NFL’s next reclamation project if he lands in the right spot after his tumultuous stint in Indy. Learning under Shanahan or Sean McVay in Los Angeles could help Richardson turn his career around and potentially earn another chance to eventually start.”
Across three seasons with the organization, Richardson has played in 17 games (15 starts). In that span, the Florida alum boasts 2,400 passing yards and 11 passing touchdowns with 13 interceptions. He also boasts 634 career rushing yards with 10 scores on the ground.
Per IndyStar’s Nathan Brown, Richardson and his camp made the trade request. Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard revealed on Tuesday that Richardson has been ‘cleared to play football’ since the end of the regular season, meaning he has no nagging injuries affecting him heading into the offseason.
With quarterback Daniel Jones returning for his second season with the organization, there truly was no other choice for Richardson and his team to make. Jones cemented himself as the Colts’ franchise quarterback last season prior to his torn Achilles tendon.
Richardson was always a risky choice in the NFL Draft, as he truly played just one full season of college football at Florida. The Miami native attempted 64 passes for the Gators in 2021, but did not evolve into Florida‘s starting quarterback until the 2022 season. That year, Richardson passed for 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns with nine interceptions. The Gators finished with a disappointing 6-7 record after opening the season with a win over No. 7 Utah, but that didn’t affect Richardson’s draft stock.
Daniel Hager contributed to this report