Colts Could Keep Anthony Richardson?
Anthony Richardson and the Colts have seemed destined for a split for almost a year. The first writing appeared on the wall when the team signed Daniel Jones to compete for the starting quarterback job; by midseason, it was covered.
Jones won the training camp competition and led Indianapolis to a 7-1 start, seemingly establishing himself as the Colts’ next franchise quarterback. Richardson, meanwhile, had been sidelined by a freak orbital fracture and was even the subject of some trade deadline chatter that another team could see him as a reclamation project. He requested a trade this offseason, and the club worked to oblige him, but “nothing materialized,” assistant general manager Ed Dodds said this week (via Mike Chappell of FOX59).
Richardson still has just 28 starts and 743 passing attempts in his college and pro careers, presenting the concerns about both inexperience and durability. Dodds reiterated that 24-year-old is “good to go,” but uncertainty about his eye injury was a factor in his lack of trade interest, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder. He is also owed $5.4MM in guaranteed compensation this year, and another team may not want to pick up that tab for a developmental project.
The Colts are not considering a release, Holder adds. They would still owe Richardson that money, and especially with Jones recovering from last year’s Achilles tear, it makes little sense for them to move on from their former No. 3 pick without any financial relief or trade compensation.
“He’s back in the fold right now,” head coach Shane Steichen said at Phase 2 of the team’s offseason program (via Chappell).
Wthout significant interest from other teams, Richardson may now be best served by staying in Indianapolis, where he can compete with Riley Leonard for the backup quarterback gig. Until jones is back on the field, that job comes with first-team reps, though Steichen declined to elucidate any sense of a pecking order.
There are indications that the team is not completely out on Richardson’s talent and ability to contribute to the team. He had his best training camp in 2025, according to Holder, and though his eye injury kept him from returning to in-game action, he impressed as the scout team QB late in the season. In fact, Holder adds, Richardson would have taken over as the Colts’ starter had he been healthy when Jones went down.
Jones has a lengthy injury history of his own, too. Any setback in his current recovery could thrust Richardson back into a starting role this year. Theoretically, the Colts could get out of their contract with Jones next offseason, though that would require a remarkable turnaround from Richardson. More likely, he will be looking to contribute in any way possible this year to boost his stock before hitting free agency in 2027.
QB Anthony Richardson Reports To Colts Workouts
Anthony Richardson was absent from the beginning of the Colts’ offseason program. After two weeks away from the team, though, things have changed.
Richardson has reported to the Colts for today’s work, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reports. Today’s development comes shortly after Indianapolis made the expected decision of declining the former No. 4 pick’s fifth-year option. As a result of that move, Richardson is a pending 2027 free agent.
It came as little surprise when team and player were apart from each other at the beginning of voluntary workouts. Richardson requested a trade earlier this offseason, and with Daniel Jones atop the depth chart Indianapolis could stand to move on in his case. As general manager Chris Ballard recently confirmed, however, no trade calls were made during last month’s draft. An extended Richardson waiting period could thus be in store.
All work between now and June’s minicamp is voluntary. Richardson will now be in store to participate in team drills as he awaits clarity on his future. The soon-to-be 24-year-old has totaled only 15 starts through three seasons in the NFL, with injuries and inconsistent play when on the field defining his Colts tenure. That will hinder Richardson’s stock in any potential trade, and many teams added to their QB depth charts by selecting a signal-caller on Day 3 of the draft (or earlier, in a few cases).
Ballard has suggested the Colts could keep Richardson in the fold through 2026, and the nature of the Florida product’s trade market will be worth watching as the offseason unfolds. Riley Leonard looms as Indianapolis’ QB2 in the event Richardson winds up being dealt. It remains to be seen when or if that will take place, but suitors could of course emerge if injuries strike during practices around the league.
Richardson is owed $1.15MM in salary for the coming season. He could be viewed as a low-cost option for teams seeking a developmental passer or a one-year rental as a result. Otherwise, on-field preparation for a fourth season in Indianapolis will begin today.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
May 1 marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth. Twenty-two options were exercised this year. Here is how each team with an option decision proceeded with 2023 first-round contracts:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): Exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM): Declined
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Tyree Wilson, Saints ($14.48MM): Declined
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM): Exercised
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM): Exercised
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM): Exercised
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM): Exercised
- LB Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM): Exercised
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): Declined
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): Exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM): Declined
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM): Declined
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM): Exercised
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM): Exercised
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): Exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): Exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM): Declined
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM): Declined
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM): Declined
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
- LB Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM): Exercised
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($14.48MM): Declined
Colts To Decline Anthony Richardson’s Fifth-Year Option; No Trade Interest Emerged During Draft
Although Anthony Richardson has considerable athletic upside, he has struggled mightily since being drafted fourth overall three years ago. Richardson’s issues and Daniel Jones‘ new contract left the Colts with an easy fifth-year option decision.
Indianapolis will decline Richardson’s option by Friday’s deadline, Fox59’s Mike Chappell reports. The option would have cost the Colts $22.48MM in 2027 guaranteed money. Richardson lost a QB competition to Jones last year and suffered what turned out to be a season-ending eye injury off the field. Jones has since received the transition tag and signed a two-year, $88MM extension.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
The Colts did not receive any calls on Richardson during the draft, GM Chris Ballard confirmed. The QB has requested a trade, and while some interest was believed to have emerged earlier this offseason, the sides are in a holding pattern.
While Richardson’s fifth-year option was never believed to be much of an internal debate, he is tied to $10.82MM in guaranteed 2026 compensation. It might take the Colts, as the Jets did with Zach Wilson in 2024, taking on some of that contract-year guarantee to facilitate a trade.
The late Jim Irsay championed Richardson coming out of the draft, indicating the Colts would have probably taken him at No. 1 overall had they held that choice. Bryce Young went first overall that year, with C.J. Stroud coming off the board one spot later. The Colts, after their Jeff Saturday-coached 2022 season placed them in the No. 4 draft slot, drafted Richardson — a one-year starter out of Florida. Richardson’s one Gators season produced a sub-54% completion rate, but he presented tantalizing athleticism at that year’s Combine. The Colts made the pick and have since regretted it.
Only eight QBs have thrown 200-plus passes in a 21st-century season and completed less than 50% of them; Richardson became No. 8 in 2024, completing just 47.7% of his throws. That season included more injury trouble for Indy’s dual threat, but a bizarre sequence in which Richardson asked out of a game in Houston due to fatigue prompted intense internal and external scrutiny. Richardson’s preparation habits drew criticism in the aftermath of that strange sequence, and Shane Steichen temporarily benched him for then-backup Joe Flacco. Jones was then signed to a one-year deal to serve as competition. Despite the Vikings offering a better deal, the ex-Giants starter viewed the Indianapolis gig as presenting a better chance to start.
Weeks after Jones won the job, Richardson suffered an orbital bone fracture during a pregame warmup. The Colts designated the 6-foot-4 QB to return from IR late in the season but never activated him, going with the unretired Philip Rivers and sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard to close the slate. Richardson trade rumors had emerged dating back to 2024, and after Jones’ season running the offense, he asked out in early March of this year.
Vikings interest was rumored, and the Packers were then linked to the depressed Colts asset. Minnesota signed Kyler Murray for the veteran minimum following his Arizona release, but Green Bay — after losing Malik Willis in free agency — did not make a notable addition via free agency or the draft. The Chiefs also considered Richardson but ultimately traded for Justin Fields.
Ballard said recently Richardson could stay in Indianapolis, but that should be considered unlikely. Leonard would be positioned as Jones’ backup in the event of a trade. This situation could drag on a while. The next step will be Richardson’s potential attendance at OTAs and minicamp.
Kenny Moore, Anthony Richardson Absent From Colts’ Offseason Workouts
Neither Kenny Moore nor Anthony Richardson were present at the beginning of the Colts’ offseason program, according to FOX59’s Mike Chappell. Both players are on the trade block, but there has been little movement on a potential move out of Indianapolis.
“We’ll see how it works out,” general manager Chris Ballard said on Monday, adding that the two players’ situations were “different in my mind.”
Richardson was granted permission to seek a trade in February and remains somewhat of an unknown quantity entering his fourth NFL season. He is owed about $5.4MM in 2026, and a decision on his fifth-year option – projected by OverTheCap to be $22.5MM – must be made by May 1. Ballard said the Colts have not discussed Richardson’s option, but presumably, they do not plan to pick it up. And if another club comes calling, they may not be ready to commit that kind of future money to a player with just 15 career starts before he steps in their building.
That lack of playing time is partially due to injuries. Richardson missed most of his rookie season due to an AC shoulder sprain that required surgery, and he only appeared in two games last year due to a fractured orbital bone that severely impacted his vision. That remains “an important aspect” in trade talks, Ballard said (via The Athletic’s James Boyd), adding that Richardson is cleared for activity, but “still recovering a little bit.”
“We’ve had some talks, but nothing’s come to fruition at this time,” Ballard continued. Several teams have been mentioned as potential fits for Richardson, and the Packers have expressed interest, per Chappell.
Moore, meanwhile, has been one of the league’s most consistent, reliable slot corners for the better part of the last decade. He informed the Colts that he was looking for a change of scenery, and the front office agreed to seek a trade.
He is set to earn $10MM in 2026, a decent price for a starting-caliber nickel with nine years of experience, but other teams may try to wait the Colts out. Ballard indicated that Moore could be released outright if he does not generate any trade interested. Rather than pay Moore $10MM and give up draft capital, teams can wait for him to hit free agency and potentially sign him at a lower price.
Chris Ballard: Anthony Richardson Could Stay In Indianapolis
Anthony Richardson‘s time in Indianapolis appeared to be over when he lost the starting quarterback battle to Daniel Jones last year. Missing virtually the entire season due to a freak injury furthered that belief, and receiving permission from the Colts to seek a trade seemed to cement it.
However, Richardson has drawn little interest on the trade market, and the Colts are not inclined to release him outright. General manager Chris Ballard said at league meetings this week (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder) that there is “definitely a scenario” in which the 23-year-old remains in Indianapolis.
The Colts may need a stopgap starter as Jones works his way back from last year’s Achilles tear. Their other options, at present, are both second-year players: sixth-rounder Riley Leonard and UDFA Seth Henigan.
Henigan signed with the Colts practice squad at the tail end of last season and extended his stay with a reserve/futures deal. It is hard to consider him a legitimate candidate to start if Jones is not ready for Week 1. Leonard had only two meaningful appearances as a rookie – first as relief for Jones in Week 14, then as the starter in Week 18 with Indianapolis eliminated from the postseason.
Despite his struggles thus far, Richardson might be the best option of that trio. If the Colts are not able to get a solid trade return for the former No. 4 pick, he can serve as an insurance policy for Jones as his recovery progresses.
Chiefs Considered Pursuing Anthony Richardson Prior To Justin Fields Trade; Latest On Colts QB
Once Gardner Minshew departed in free agency, the Chiefs found themselves in need of a new backup quarterback. They filled that vacancy with last week’s trade for Justin Fields.
The former Bear, Steeler and Jet will spend the offseason handling first-team reps while Patrick Mahomes continues his rehab process. Depending on how long that takes, Fields could find himself atop the depth chart early in the 2026 campaign. That may have also been true of another quarterback Kansas City showed interest in.
SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora reports the Chiefs “considered” Anthony Richardson when weighing their QB options. The three-year Colts passer was granted permission to seek a trade earlier this offseason, something which came as no surprise. La Canfora’s latest piece echoes earlier ones indicating a limited market exists for Richardson, whose NFL career has certainly not gone according to plan so far.
The Packers have been mentioned as a potential landing spot previously, and a GM voiced an expectation (via La Canfora) Green Bay will be the team that brings in Richardson. The Packers had success with their Malik Willis buy-low transaction, sending the Titans only a seventh-round pick for a player who just landed $45MM guaranteed at signing (from the Dolphins). While the Packers will be in the market for another Jordan Love backup, some around the league pointed to the Jaguars as a potential Richardson destination.
Although the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade (Dolphins to Jets) showed teams can be open to trading starters within their divisions, it is quite rare for such moves to take place. The Joe Flacco (2025), Donovan McNabb (2010), Drew Bledsoe (2002) swaps — which involved supplanted starters or, in the Eagles’ case, soon-to-be replaced starters — show in-division QB deals can happen. But they are extraordinarily uncommon.
The Jaguars have Nick Mullens stationed as Trevor Lawrence‘s backup presently; the Liam Coen-James Gladstone regime brought in the journeyman reserve in March 2025. Richardson, 24 in May, would obviously bring a talent upgrade — albeit one that has struggled for most of his pro career. The Colts look to be through with the former No. 4 overall pick. They separated from the exec who initially championed Richardson — Morocco Brown — last year and have since transition-tagged and extended Daniel Jones. Riley Leonard is in place as Jones’ backup.
Richardson, who starred in Gainesville in 2022, is due a $5.39MM guarantee for 2026. The Jaguars have experience with this type of trade, having sent the Patriots a sixth-rounder for Mac Jones in 2024. Jones played out his rookie deal before signing with the 49ers (two years, $7MM) in 2025, becoming a high-end trade chip after a bounce-back season in San Francisco.
Becoming only the eighth quarterback to complete fewer than 50% of his passes on 200-plus attempts in a season, Richardson has been both erratic and unreliable as a pro. The one-year Florida starter missed missed 13 games with a shoulder injury in 2023 and dealt with multiple issues in 2024. Oblique trouble knocked Richardson out early in the ’24 season, and after a performance-based benching brought a brief midseason Flacco cameo, the aging QB was back at the controls to close the season due to Richardson experiencing foot and back trouble. The 2025 offseason then brought another shoulder issue for Richardson, who then suffered an orbital fracture in the Colts’ locker room.
The latter issue prompted the Colts to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement when Jones suffered an Achilles tear in December. Richardson returned to practice but was not activated from IR. Some teams are concerned about the quarterback’s vision in the wake of the eye injury, according to La Canfora.
Last year, execs pegged the fourth-rounder Lance drew from the Cowboys as realistic for Richardson. But if vision concerns are shared by a number of teams — for a player who has fallen out of favor in Indianapolis — it might be difficult for the Colts to fetch that price. For now, Richardson’s camp can keep shopping. A report of mutual interest between the QB and the Vikings will not produce a move, as Minnesota has since signed Kyler Murray and brought back Carson Wentz.
As for the Chiefs, they have seen Mahomes prove a quick healer in the past. ACL and LCL tears obviously represent the megastar’s most significant hurdle to date, and Fields represents low-cost insurance. The Chiefs are on the hook for just $3MM of Fields’ 2026 compensation. Mahomes does not have a clear timetable yet, but Week 1 is believed to be in play. Fields will follow the likes of Wentz, Chad Henne, Blaine Gabbert and Gardner Minshew as a veteran backup. Late-season starter Chris Oladokun remains on Kansas City’s roster as well.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Colts’ Anthony Richardson Drawing Interest; Packers Could Pursue QB
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson requested a trade on Feb. 26, but a deal still has not come together almost three weeks later. While a trade is still not imminent, there are clubs interested in the 23-year-old, Stephen Holder of ESPN reports. The Packers are a team to watch, according to Holder.
As expected, Richardson lacks trade value in the wake of a rough three-year stretch to open his career. The 2023 fourth overall pick from Florida has struggled to perform and stay healthy in the NFL.
Injuries and demotions have held the athletically gifted Richardson to just 15 starts in Indianapolis. Richardson has thrown more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (11) en route to a disastrous 67.8 rating. He logged his most action in 2024, an 11-start year in which he recorded a horrid 47.7% completion rate on 264 attempts.
The Colts did not rule out Richardson winning their starting job last year, but he was unable to beat out free agent pickup Daniel Jones. Although Jones tore his Achilles in early December, he impressed enough to secure a two-year, $88MM extension this week. Jones is locked in as the Colts’ starter moving forward, making it unlikely Richardson will ever live up to his draft slot in Indianapolis.
Jones’ Achilles injury could have given Richardson a chance to step in and boost his stock, but he was also on the shelf then. Richardson suffered a season-ending orbital fracture in a freak accident with an exercise band in October. He has since been cleared to resume his football career.
With Jordan Love entrenched under center, the Packers are in better shape at QB than the Colts. That does not bode well for Richardson on paper, but one former backup has already revived his career in Green Bay in recent years. Back in August 2024, the Packers bought low on former Titans third-rounder Malik Willis, whom they acquired for a seventh-round selection. The move was a resounding success for both sides, as Willis emerged as one of the league’s most effective backups during his Packers tenure.
After Willis opened eyes over 11 appearances and three starts in Green Bay, the Dolphins inked him to a three-year, $67.5MM pact in free agency this week. Willis, 26, will earn a guaranteed $45MM in Miami, where he will enter next season as a starter. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound Richardson will hope for a similar fate if he follows Willis as a backup in Green Bay. The Packers’ current QB depth chart includes Love, Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson Requests Trade; Mutual Vikings Interest?
MARCH 2: Richardson does not have a strong trade market at this point, SportsBoom’s Jason LaCanfora reports to no surprise. NFL general managers and evaluators predicted Richardson’s value would be a Day 3 pick, with a fifth-rounder mentioned as the potential best-case scenario from the Colts’ perspective.
FEBRUARY 26: Signs continue to point to Anthony Richardson playing elsewhere in 2026. The embattled quarterback has requested a trade, James Boyd of The Athletic reports. 
To little surprise, ESPN’s Stephen Holder adds the Colts have given Richardson’s camp permission to seek a trade. The former No. 4 pick’s value will not be particularly high given how his NFL career has played out so far. Nevertheless, the lack of established QBs on the market this offseason could lead to at least some interest.
When speaking at the Combine yesterday, Colts GM Chris Ballard offered praise for Richardson. The 23-year-old has only made 15 starts and 17 appearances during the regular season so far. An orbital bone fracture kept Richardson sidelined through the end of the 2025 campaign, although Ballard said he has now been cleared for football activities. Boyd confirms Richardson has regained full vision in his right eye.
That will be a welcomed development for all involved, but it remains to be seen how many teams will be willing to proceed with a trade acquisition in this case. In December, a trio of NFL staffers pegged Richardson’s value at a fourth-round pick (the cost paid by the Cowboys when they acquired Trey Lance). A deal along those lines would obviously represent a massive disappointment for Indianapolis, but it would pave the way for Riley Leonard to handle backup duties in 2026. Of course, the Colts are in the midst of negotiations on a new Daniel Jones contract to ensure he remains atop the depth chart moving forward.
As for potential Richardson landing spots, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network points to Minnesota as one to watch. He reports there is a mutual interest between the Vikings and Richardson. Kevin O’Connell has established a track record of quarterback development during his time as Minnesota’s head coach, and taking on another reclamation project would make plenty of sense. Given J.J. McCarthy‘s struggles so far, the Vikings are expected to bring in competition under center this spring.
That could entail pursuing a more experienced option on the open market like Kirk Cousins or Derek Carr. Alternatively, the Vikings could look at Richardson as a buy-low candidate capable of winning the QB1 gig for 2026 while McCarthy develops. Richardson has one year remaining on his rookie contract and he is set to carry a cap charge of $10.82MM in 2026. A trade would essentially create an even split of that figure between cap savings and dead money for the Colts.
Colts GM Chris Ballard On Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman Jr.
Injuries and disappointing play have defined Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson‘s career since he entered the NFL as the fourth overall pick in 2023. The former Florida Gator has played just 17 NFL games, including two brief appearances in 2025, and there is widespread skepticism that he will turn into a viable starter. However, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is not writing off the 23-year-old yet.
“I see a future (for Richardson in the NFL). Yeah, kinda like with any player, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Things change,” Ballard said Tuesday (via Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star). “But we like Anthony.”
Andrew Luck‘s shocking preseason retirement in 2019 left the Colts without a long-term plan under center. The Luck-less Colts deployed Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz as their starter for a year apiece from 2019-22. Tired of cycling through short-term stopgaps, Ballard bet big on the athletically gifted Richardson going from raw prospect to franchise quarterback.
The Richardson gamble has not worked out at all. Various injuries and demotions limited him to 15 starts in his first two seasons. During an 11-start 2024, the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder completed an astoundingly low 47.7% of 264 pass attempts. The Colts left the door open for Richardson to remain their QB1 last year, but he would have had to beat out free agent acquisition Daniel Jones. Not only did Jones win the summer competition, but the former Giants first-rounder went on to enjoy the best season of his career.
Jones’ resurgent season concluded with a ruptured Achilles in Week 14, which could have opened the door for a healthy Richardson down the stretch. Unfortunately for Richardson, he was on the shelf then after suffering an orbital fracture in a freak accident with an exercise band in October. Richardson finished 2025 on IR while continuing to deal with vision problems. He is now “cleared to play football,” Ballard announced.
With both Jones and Richardson unavailable last December, the Colts stunned in calling the 44-year-old Rivers out of retirement. Rivers, then a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist, agreed to reset his Canton clock five years and come back in an effort to save the free-falling Colts. All three of Rivers’ starts were must-see TV, but the Colts didn’t win any of them. After going 8-5 in Jones’ starts, the Colts went 0-4 with Rivers and Riley Leonard to complete a second-half collapse.
The Colts will not run it back again with Rivers, who went back into retirement at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Jones is coming off a serious injury and without a contract for next 2026. However, the pending free agent is expected to re-sign with the Colts and continue as their starter. That would leave Richardson as a backup again, which may be the most likely outcome. Richardson would not bring back much in a trade, and releasing him wouldn’t save the Colts any money.
If Richardson is still on the Colts’ roster on May 1, it would be fair to expect them to decline his projected $23.50MM fifth-year option by then. That would set Richardson up for a trip to free agency in March 2027. He may have to wait until then to potentially salvage his career with another team.
Like Richardson, Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is facing an uncertain future this offseason. The six-year veteran logged 80 catches, 784 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Those aren’t bad numbers, but they may not be worth a bloated $29MM cap hit next season. While releasing Pittman before March 15 would save the Colts $24MM, parting with him is not a foregone conclusion.
“I think the world of Pitt and who he is as a player,” Ballard said (via Brown). “Any suggestion that he’s not going to be here (next season) is a pure hypothetical, in my mind.”
Despite Ballard’s affinity for Pittman, he will remain a player to monitor over the next couple of weeks. Getting Pittman’s money off the books may aid the Colts in their quest to keep Jones and pending free agent wideout Alec Pierce.