The Indianapolis Colts are in an interesting quarterback situation. Despite bringing in Daniel Jones this offseason, there are more questions than answers going into 2025. First of all, the Colts do not have a clear-cut starter. Third-year starter Anthony Richardson is coming off a very disappointing 2024 season and is looking for redemption. However, so is Daniel Jones, who is a proven starter who has won games and led the New York Giants to the playoffs in 2022. By all accounts, Jones will be vying to be the Colts starting quarterback in 2025. With the questions surrounding Anthony Richardson’s ability, the Colts could trade him but would be wise to keep him.
News has been swirling around the Colts with the fact that Anthony Richardson could be a potential trade option for several teams. Richardson is on a comeback campaign for the 2025 season. He is also looking to redeem himself from a bad 2024 season. However, with the potential that Richardson has, and the fact that Daniel Jones would be the next best option, the Colts should keep Richardson by any means possible.
Why the Colts Need to Keep Anthony Richardson
Richardson Has Way Too Much Potential for Greatness
There is a reason why the Colts drafted Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick in 2023. He has tremendous potential and probably had the most upside coming out of college. When General Manager, Chris Ballard, addressed drafting Richardson so high, he mentioned that he was drafted for what he could be in the future. If Anthony Richardson can be anything the Colts think he can be, they should not trade him.
It should be noted that Richardson has yet to play a full season of games. Through two seasons, he only has 15 starts and has missed 19 starts, most of which were due to injury. Nonetheless, the glimpses that he displayed were pretty remarkable and Colts want to be a part of that development. In 2024, Richardson led the league in air yards per attempt with 12.2. He was also 10th in deep ball attempts with 60. On top of that, he was near-lethal rushing the ball. He was fifth in carries per game, sixth in rushing yards, and third in rushing yards per game.
Richardson has many similarities to Cam Newton and Josh Allen, both of which are NFL MVPs. Anthony Richardson’s potential is undeniable, but with where he is right now, the process will take time and the Colts need to be patient or risk regretting making the biggest mistake in trade history.
The Colts Do Not Have a Good Fall-Back Plan
The biggest reason why choosing to trade Anthony Richardson would be a bad decision is because the Colts do not have a better option. As things sit right now, the Colts would be looking at Daniel Jones to carry the team if Richardson walked. This isn’t really good news for the franchise as Jones has had his struggles of his own in the NFL. There is a reason he is on his third team in two seasons. This does not instill hope for the future.
The Colts could look to the NFL draft for a fallback, but they are not going to find a long-term solution with where they sit in the selection order. The Colts hold the 14th overall pick and by that point, any chance of a franchise quarterback will be long gone. With the acquisition of Daniel Jones, it is highly unlikely that the Colts will look to free agency for another quarterback. Therefore, the Colts are in a tough predicament with their quarterback situation. This is not to say that their hands are tied. However, if the Colts put the franchise in a winning direction they will need to try and make their fourth overall pick worth the investment.