Anthony Richardson

Colts QB Anthony Richardson Uncertain To Return In 2025

December 8th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Daniel Jones suffering what has widely been reported as an Achilles tear yesterday, the Colts are set to rely on other options under center. It is unclear if the team’s backup from early in the season will be one of them.

Anthony Richardson suffered an orbital bone fracture during warmups in October. That led to an injured reserve stint, one which has continued without any clear signs of when it will end. The Colts have left the door open to Richardson returning to action late in the campaign, but there is still nothing imminent on that front.

The former No. 4 pick was not able to take part in football activities last week, as noted by Fox59’s Mike Chappell. Meanwhile, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Richardson remains sidelined at this point. He adds the Colts are still unsure of whether or not a return at any point this season will be possible. If Richardson does not return to practice, he will close out the campaign on IR.

That would deal another blow to the 23-year-old’s value, something which has steadily sunk since his arrival in the NFL. Richardson’s Indianapolis future is unclear, and the possibility of a trade allowing for a fresh start has been raised. Of course, the Colts appeared to be positioned for a long-term Jones commitment before his injury took place. It will be interesting to see if the team’s QB planning changes moving forward.

In the meantime, Riley Leonard is set to receive his first NFL start next week. The Colts have dropped to 8-5, and their playoff chances will now hinge in large part on the sixth-round rookie’s ability to guide the offense successfully. Brett Rypien resides on the practice squad, and he can be expected to sign to Indianapolis’ active roster in the near future. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports points to a quarterback acquisition being likely (video link). He names Sam Ehlinger – who began his career with the Colts and is currently with the Broncos – as a target on that front.

Richardson would be tasked with handling QB1 duties in the event he were to return for any or all of the Colts’ remaining four games. As things stand, however, it does not appear as though he will be able to do so.

Vikings To Consider Competition For QB J.J. McCarthy In 2026?

November 30th, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Rory Parks

The Vikings allowed quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to depart in free agency this offseason, underscoring their faith in 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. While Minnesota wanted an experienced backup behind McCarthy – which explains the club’s April acquisition of Sam Howell and the signing of Carson Wentz after Howell was traded in August – neither of those players was seen as a threat to McCarthy’s starting job. In 2026, the Vikes could be looking for someone who will actually push the Michigan product for the QB1 role.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, multiple league insiders suggest Minnesota may follow the QB blueprint the Colts took during the 2025 offseason. In other words, the Vikings could acquire a veteran or reclamation project to compete with McCarthy, in much the same way Indianapolis signed Jones to battle with Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall choice of the 2023 draft. Jones, who had washed out with the Giants, found new life in Indiana and is in line for another lucrative, multiyear deal (or at least the hefty $46.1MM franchise tag) in 2026.

Fowler says Jones remains an ideal fit for the Vikings, who could make a run at their former backup if the Colts are unable or unwilling to keep him off the market. Fowler also names the 49ers’ Mac Jones and the Texans’ Davis Mills as possible Minnesota targets. Both of those players were once viewed as potential franchise quarterbacks, and while Jones’ tenure in New England and Mills’ stint as Houston’s full-time starter did not end well, they both have built some trade value this season thanks to their efforts in relief of their respective clubs’ top signal-callers.

Mills, 27, has not been a world-beater during C.J. Stroud’s time in the concussion protocol, but he has led Houston to a 3-0 record in the games he has started, throwing five touchdowns against one interception in the process. Mac Jones, meanwhile, went 5-3 as a starter with Brock Purdy on the shelf, posting a completion percentage of 69.6% (fourth-highest in the league) and a 97.4 quarterback rating. He generally looked like the player who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, and while both he and Mills are under contract through 2026, they both could be trade targets of teams like Minnesota (Fowler says the Niners could even fetch a Day 2 pick for Mac Jones).

Kyler Murray, who may already have taken his last snap for the Cardinals, and (interestingly enough) Richardson also fit the mold of players the Vikings could consider, as Fowler notes. The ESPN scribe says Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell has respect for Richardson, who has expressed interest in playing under an offense-oriented HC, specifically Sean McVay or someone from his coaching tree (like O’Connell).

If the Vikings instead consider a player closer to the end of their career, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco might be options (Minnesota spoke with Flacco this offseason, and Rodgers made it known the Vikes were his preferred landing spot). Likewise, a reunion with Wentz could be on the table, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Wentz, who will turn 32 next month, had several strong showings earlier this year when McCarthy was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 5 derailed his next two starts and brought a premature end to his season. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune says Wentz’s shoulder surgery went well, so if O’Connell liked what he saw from the former MVP candidate, he could return in at least a backup capacity, or even as competition for McCarthy.

After missing all of his rookie campaign due to injury, McCarthy has struggled with more health issues this season. He missed five games due to the above-mentioned ankle sprain, and he will be sidelined for his team’s Week 13 contest while going through the concussion protocol. When he has been on the field, he has not played particularly well, completing only 54.1% of his pass attempts and throwing 10 interceptions and just six touchdowns en route to a 2-4 record.

Thanks in large part to McCarthy’s struggles, elite wideout Justin Jefferson has posted a career-low yards-per-game average (72.3) and catch percentage (60.6%). The two-time First Team All-Pro nonetheless offered public support for his young passer.

“It’s early,” Jefferson said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). “He’s new to the game. He’s new to the NFL. He’s learning just like everyone else has to learn as a rookie, and he obviously had to go through the mental stage of having to overcome an injury the first year. So just a tough transition for him. But I feel like just him learning these past couple games, and of course learning [during] the stretch of this season, I feel like he’s going to bounce back in a different way than everybody else is going to think so.”

Veteran running back Aaron Jones expressed a similar sentiment, saying, “I told [McCarthy] that the ones who counted you out, they’re going to have to recount.”

While McCarthy is sidelined, UDFA rookie Max Brosmer will get the first start(s) of his career. A strong performance could at least put him in consideration for an extended run in 2026.

Colts Hope To Retain Daniel Jones Beyond 2025; Latest On Anthony Richardson

October 26th, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

To date, no known talks on a new Colts deal for Daniel Jones have taken place. It is the team’s intention, however, to keep its surprisingly productive new quarterback in the fold past the current campaign.

Indianapolis wants to keep Jones in place beyond 2025, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (video link). That comes as little surprise given the way in which the Colts have thrived early this year. The team sits atop the AFC with a 6-1 record, and maintaining that strong play could increase the chances for Jones to command a major raise compared to the deal he signed in March. The former Giants starter took $14MM on a one-year pact when joining his current team.

Jones won out a training camp competition with Anthony Richardson but expectations were tempered given the latter’s struggles when on the field so far in his career. The Colts have enjoyed plenty of success on offense thanks to strong showings by their offensive line and skill position group. Jones has played a role as well, and he has set new career bests in several passing categories early on. If things continue along a similar path over the coming weeks, it would certainly be feasible for the Colts to work out a long-term agreement.

Things obviously did not go as planned when the Giants did the same in 2023. Jones landed a four-year, $160MM pact that year but found himself out of the organization by the end of last season. After a brief stint with the Vikings, the Duke product moved on in free agency. Doing so again could be possible this coming spring, and Jones would profile as the top signal-caller on the market if his strong showing continues. If the Colts could negotiate a lucrative multi-year pact, though, they could secure their future under center as the Richardson selection was aimed at doing.

The 23-year-old landed on injured reserve earlier this month following the orbital fracture he suffered during a pregame accident. In an update on Richardson’s status, Rapoport notes a return to action at some point this season could be in store. The former No. 4 pick has fallen well short of expectations early in his career, with injuries and inconsistent showings as a passer limiting his value.

The Colts will need to decide on Richardson’s fifth-year option this spring. If a trade opportunity presents itself, it will be interesting to see if Indianapolis explores it. Part of the team’s plan on that front will of course depend on whether or not a long-term Jones pact can be worked out.

Bengals Considered Long List Of QBs Before Joe Flacco Trade

October 18th, 2025 at 11:06pm CST by Connor Byrne

After a Week 5 loss to the Lions, their third straight lopsided defeat under backup signal-caller Jake Browning, the Bengals aggressively began searching for a different Joe Burrow fill-in. Led by director of player personnel Duke Tobin, the Bengals put together an extensive list of potential upgrades over Browning, Albert Breer of SI.com details.

Before swinging a trade with the division-rival Browns for Joe Flacco, the Bengals considered Anthony Richardson (Colts); Kirk Cousins (Falcons); the Giants’ backup duo of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston; the Rams’ Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett; Tanner McKee (Eagles); and Josh Johnson (Commanders). They joined the previously reported Derek Carr (Saints), Sam Howell (Eagles), Drew Lock (Seahawks), and Davis Mills (Texans) in Cincinnati’s exhaustive search.

The Bengals narrowed the list down to five before choosing Flacco as the best option, according to Breer. It’s unclear who joined the 40-year-old in the group of finalists or whether the Bengals even made calls on all of those QBs.

In the end, Flacco won out as a result of a few factors. Flacco is affordable ($1.26MM base salary) and only cost a fifth-round pick. The well-traveled Super Bowl XLVII MVP also has plenty of AFC North experience, and coordinator Dan Pitcher identified him as a clear fit based on similarities between Cincinnati’s offense and Cleveland’s in terms of “spacing the field and progressing pass concepts,” Breer writes.

Two weeks into what will be a short-lived run as the Bengals’ starter, Flacco has looked like a shrewd acquisition. The Bengals lost his first start to the Packers, but they bounced back with an upset over the division-rival Steelers on Thursday.

Flacco outdueled fellow 40-something Aaron Rodgers in Week 7, going 31 for 47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 thriller. He made superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase the focal point of the offense, targeting him on a jaw-dropping 23 throws and hitting him 16 times for 161 yards and a score. Chase has already hauled in 26 passes and two of Flacco’s five TDs as a Bengal. Flacco has yet to throw a pick with the team after tossing six in four games with the Browns.

The goal in acquiring Flacco was to hang around long enough to make a potential Burrow return worthwhile in 2025. Burrow, who underwent toe surgery on Sept. 19, is expected to miss at least three months. That means the Bengals will have to stay in the race into December under Flacco. At 3-4, they trail the division-leading Steelers (4-2) and sit in ninth place in the AFC. While the Bengals are still facing an uphill climb, Flacco has at least given them a more credible option than Browning under center.

Colts Place QB Anthony Richardson On IR

October 13th, 2025 at 3:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts will be without Anthony Richardson for an extended period. Following the pregame injury suffered by the team’s backup quarterback on Sunday, he is set for an extended absence.

Richardson has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. As a result, he will be unavailable for at least the next four games. Richardson suffered an orbital bone fracture during warmups yesterday. It was initially unclear how much time he would miss, but testing on his eye has obviously led to the Colts shutting him down for the foreseeable future.

Daniel Jones has thrived in his stead atop the Colts’ depth chart so far this season. Indianapolis leads the AFC with a record of 5-1, and the former Giants draftee will be tasked with maintaining his current level of play as the Colts look to remain hot. Depth behind Jones will be a question, however. Richardson has not developed as hoped in his NFL career, but he would have been a familiar option for head coach Shane Steichen and Co. if called upon.

With Richardson now out of the picture for the time being, sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard is currently the Colts’ QB2. Leonard has yet to make a regular season appearance, but he could find himself dressing as the backup for at least a brief period. Of course, that would change if Indianapolis were to make a free agent or trade acquisition at the quarterback spot. The team has roughly $6MM in cap space.

Richardson is no stranger to missed time after he was limited to four games as a rookie and 11 contests last season. This absence is different since it was not caused by an on-field injury, but the former No. 4 pick is now guaranteed to be available for less than a full slate in each of his first three NFL campaigns. Irrespective of Jones’ strong play, Richardson’s future with the Colts will no doubt be influenced by his injury history moving forward.

Indianapolis still has seven IR activations available at this point. Bringing Richardson back into the fold will use up one of them, but not until a notable period of time is spent recovering from the injury.

Colts QB Anthony Richardson Suffers Orbital Fracture

October 13th, 2025 at 12:43pm CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 13: It is unclear at this point how long Richardson will be out for, but ESPN’s Stephen Holder reports he will be sidelined for “a while.” The Colts could find themselves in the market for a short-term quarterback addition as a result, but decisions on that front will of course depend on Richardson’s prognosis. At least for the time being, Leonard is now second on the depth chart.

OCTOBER 12: The Colts saw a pair of uncanny pregame injuries take out a player on each side of the ball today before they were even suited up in pads. The more serious of the two injuries saw backup quarterback Anthony Richardson suffer an orbital fracture when an elastic band injured his eye, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Claims were that the injury was the result of a malfunction of the elastic band while Richardson was doing band work. In each of his first two years in the NFL, the Colts have repeatedly tried to establish Richardson as the team’s next big starting quarterback, usually just for injuries to derail any chances for success. A concussion and shoulder surgery caused him to miss all but four games of his rookie season, and he missed three separate two-week stretches for the Colts last year due to injury.

The Colts apparently couldn’t even keep Richardson healthy as a backup. The 23-year-old spent today’s game at the hospital dealing with the injury as sixth-round rookie passer Riley Leonard was elevated into the QB2 role behind starter Daniel Jones. Luckily, nothing happened to Jones, who played every offensive snap for the team, but the AFC’s current No. 1 seed was a play away from being down to their QB3 due to a freak accident in pregame warmups.

The other player who was injured in an unusual manner during pregame activities today was cornerback Charvarius Ward. While running drills in pregame warmups, Ward collided with a tight end and was left concussed and unavailable for the game. This hurt an already thin cornerbacks group that featured Jaylon Jones and Kenny Moore as existing inactives. It will be interesting to see just how Ward and Richardson progress through their injuries this week and how it will affect the team going forward.

Anthony Richardson, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins Not Drawing Trade Interest

October 4th, 2025 at 10:46pm CST by Connor Byrne

With experienced starting quarterbacks Anthony Richardson (Colts), Russell Wilson (Giants), and Kirk Cousins (Falcons) occupying backup roles for their teams, it stands to reason any of the three could wind up on the move before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. However, four weeks into the season, nobody from that group has drawn interest, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.

Of that trio, Richardson is the least likely to change hands, according to Jones. The former fourth overall pick (2023) disappointed during his first two years in the league, and he then lost a preseason competition to Daniel Jones for the Colts’ starting job this summer. Jones has since gotten off to a surprisingly fast start for the 3-1 Colts, further calling Richardson’s future into question.

The Colts are inclined to keep Richardson through the season, though, as he’ll remain under team control in 2026. He has a fifth-year option for 2027 that Indianapolis will have to decide on in the offseason. Unless his stock rises dramatically this year, it would be a shock if the Colts exercised it.

With the Giants having benched Wilson for rookie Jaxson Dart in late September, the 36-year-old looks like the most logical trade candidate of this group. The Giants haven’t actively sought out offers for Wilson, per Jones, but that could change over the next month. They already have another veteran backup in Jameis Winston under contract for next season.

Wilson, on the other hand, is due to reach free agency again during the spring after signing a one-year, $10.5MM contract with the Giants. An acquiring team would take on Wilson’s prorated $2MM base salary while likely surrendering a Day 3 draft pick, Jones hears.

Despite a quality track record as a starter, it’s no surprise that Cousins hasn’t drawn interest. His contract – which comes with expensive guarantees in the form of a $27.5MM base salary this year and a $10MM roster bonus for 2026 – is prohibitive. The Falcons would reportedly want an acquiring team to take on Cousins’ financial commitments and give up a premium draft pick. Barring drastic changes, he’s likely to ride out the season as the backup to Michael Penix Jr.

Assuming none of Richardson, Wilson, or Cousins end up back in starting roles with their current teams, it may require a contending club(s) suffering a significant injury at QB for any of them to garner trade interest. The Bengals make sense as a potential suitor on paper, having lost starter Joe Burrow to a toe injury in Week 2. Burrow could miss three months (if not more), and backup Jake Browning has struggled mightily since taking the reins. Despite that, the Bengals remain confident in Browning. They also rarely swing in-season trades, and the Mike Brown-led organization may be unwilling to add to its payroll.

Beyond Cincinnati, the Ravens, Vikings, and 49ers are also dealing with injuries to their starters. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson could miss multiple games with a hamstring injury, but they signed an experienced backup in Cooper Rush last March.

The Vikings also have a battle-tested reserve of their own, Carson Wentz, who’s playing in place of J.J. McCarthy as he recovers from an ankle sprain. As for the 49ers, they appear to be in great shape with No. 2 signal-caller Mac Jones, who has excelled filling in for Brock Purdy. With Purdy down with a toe injury, Jones has led the 49ers to three wins in as many starts.

Anthony Richardson Open To Developing Under Offensive Coach

October 2nd, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

It seems like the Anthony Richardson experiment in Indianapolis is over.

The No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft only played 15 games in his first two seasons and lost a training camp battle to Daniel Jones this year. Jones’ success at the helm of a Colts offense that is mostly unchanged from their last two campaigns has seemingly made it clear that Richardson was simply not ready for a starting role.

The Colts have seemingly decided to move on from Richardson at some point. They won’t pick up his $22.9MM fifth-year option for the 2027 season (via OverTheCap) and could even try to trade him in the next year before his rookie contract expires.

Teams may even have interest at this season’s trade deadline. There is no doubt that Richardson has struggled to start his career, but his physical traits will remain tantalizing for any coach who believes that they can get the best out of him. Acquiring him this year (as opposed to in the offseason) will allow him to get acclimated in a new system and hit the ground running in 2026.

Such a path forward might be appealing to Richardson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who mentioned Sean McVay and the Rams as a potential possibility. Retirement rumors have followed Matthew Stafford in the past two offseason, and Richardson could be a low-cost lottery ticket for future starter.

The Steelers come to mind as a team in a similar situation with Aaron Rodgers, though offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has not fielded a top-10 unit since his time in Tennessee. The Raiders also have an uncertain future under center beyond 34-year-old Geno Smith. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and minority owner Tom Brady could be part of the appeal in Las Vegas.

Of course, this is all assuming that there is a team who wants Richardson and a desire from both Richardson and the Colts to part ways. That does not seem to be the case quite yet, though offers of opportunity for the former and draft capital for the latter may be enough to change their minds.

Colts’ Anthony Richardson Not Seeking Trade

September 4th, 2025 at 9:21am CST by Adam La Rose

Anthony Richardson lost out to Daniel Jones for the Colts’ starting quarterback competition. His future with the team has been questioned as a result, in part due to comments made the former No. 4 pick’s agent about a lack of trust from the organization.

In the wake of those remarks, a meeting between Richardson’s agent (Deiric Jackson) and general manager Chris Ballard recently took place. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the parties met in person last week, with Jackson describing the talks as “very constructive.” The possibility of a trade was discussed, but no request for a change of scenery was issued during the conversation.

Of course, Ballard has publicly committed to keeping Richardson in the fold for 2025. A tepid trade market would no doubt exist given the 23-year-old’s struggles so far in the NFL. Richardson has made just 15 starts through his first two seasons with the Colts, dealing with a number of injuries along the way. When on the field, he has struggled with inconsistency in the passing game (50.6% career completion percentage) while showcasing potential in terms of rushing production.

For now, at least, Jones is set to handle starting duties. The former Giant received over $13MM fully guaranteed from the Colts in free agency, a strong indication he would get the nod early in the campaign. A consistent showing under center through the opening weeks of the season would be welcomed by all involved, including a Colts regime seeking a long-term answer at the QB spot. Only signed through 2025, Jones is unlikely to fit the bill, but he could buy time for Richardson to develop without seeing game time.

The Florida product will be the subject of a fifth-year option decision next spring. If it is declined, Richardson’s rookie deal will expire after the 2026 campaign. Plenty of time remains for a call on that front to be made, but a mutual desire currently exists for a parting of ways to be avoided.

Colts Will Not Trade QB Anthony Richardson

August 27th, 2025 at 6:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

Anthony Richardson lost out to Daniel Jones in the Colts’ quarterback competition this summer, but he is still in the team’s plans for at least the time being. General manager Chris Ballard made it clear on Wednesday no Richardson trade is being considered at this time.

“I know the negativity and it’s easy to say, okay, he’s done,” Ballard said of the 2023 No. 4 pick (via the team’s website). “And I don’t agree — I’ve said this numerous times — I do not agree with that. I’m proud of Anthony, of where he’s at, how far he’s come. He’s come miles… And there’s a lot of value in sitting behind a guy that’s a professional and watching and learning and growing and working on the things you need to work on without the same pressure of being the starter.”

Richardson played just four games as a rookie before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. The 23-year-old struggled when healthy last year, and at times he was benched in favor of backup Joe Flacco. Indianapolis prioritized adding a veteran signal-caller this offseason, and Jones departed Minnesota knowing a starting gig would be on offer. The former Giant (added on a one-year pact including over $13MM guaranteed) will look to offer stability under center in contrast to Richardson’s inconsistent showings – which, to date, have not been enough to end his Indianapolis tenure.

“There’s examples of guys that have had rough starts to their careers and have absolutely bounced back and had good careers,” Ballard added. “And there’s examples of guys who’ve been benched who come back and play.”

After Richardson completed just 47.7% of his passes and threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (eight), any trade undertaken at this point would contain little in the way of value coming back to the Colts. The Florida product has demonstrated his rushing upside when on the field, but that alone would not entice much in the way of attractive offers from suitors.

After this season, a decision will need to be made on Richardson’s 2027 fifth-year option. It is on track to be declined at this point, something which would point further to an Indianapolis departure being likely. For now, though, the Colts are in position to keep him in the fold.

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