Colts General Manager Provides Update on QB Anthony Richardson

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis experiment has been a rollercoaster to say the least.

Epitomizing what volatility means, Richardson's days as a member of the Colts have seen far fewer lows than highs, though both sides of the pendulum have swung as far as possible whenever it's that side's time to shine.

Richardson and his camp have recognized the bleak outlook in question, as he requested to be traded earlier this offseason. The Colts allowed him to seek a trade, even if they're in no hurry to deal him.

The 2023 fourth overall pick's days have felt numbered ever since he lost the starting job to former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones ahead of the 2025 NFL season, though that fate was nearly sealed midway through the season in question when Richardson suffered a freak injury to his ortbital bone in pre-game warm-ups.

Requiring surgery and cutting his season short, Richardson's inconsistency on the field paired with his struggle to remain on said field are ultimately what have done him in as a viable option moving forward. There's no doubt that the Colts have failed him as well, but there's too much baggage and complexity in this regime's outlook to hold onto hope that Richardson will be the guy, for Indianapolis at least.

As far as Richardson's future goes, there's a decent chance he plays out the remainder of his rookie contract with the Colts if a trade suitor can't be found this offseason, though it's highly unlikely that he nets the elusive fifth-year option that keeps him around for another season.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard had his pre-draft press conference earlier today, answering many questions regarding Richardson's future, who is away from the team while he remains on the trade block. The Colts' longtime general manager addressed his rehab, the likelihood that he plays out his contract, and also his time spent on the injured reserve this past season.

"I still think Anthony [Richardson] has real value in this league, and I've been happy with his growth," Ballard said about Richardson's value as a trade piece. "He's an extremely talented young man."

NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed during the league owners' meeting a couple of weeks back that Richardson's market value was not in line with what the Colts are looking for in return, which is why the fourth-year quarterback remains undealt.

"The market for [Richardson] was soft," Schefter explained. "If there was a market for him, they would've traded him, and it didn't materialize."

Ballard and Co. want to do right by Richardson, but they also need to do everything in their power not to give up on their former Top 5 draft selection for scraps. Richardson is currently on the final year of his rookie contract, a 1-year, $5.3M guarantee, therefore there's wiggle room to work with as far as salary goes. He's also still just 24 years old, which puts a premium on this particular project.

On the other hand, it makes perfect sense why Richardson's value is lacking when you consider his potential suitors' perspective: there is little to no avenue available for Richardson to carve out valuable playing time, the lack of long-term control over his services, and his combined bleak outlook of rebounding his play and staying healthy all make up a stock that's near-impossible to buy into.

General manager Chris Ballard said the Colts have not yet entertained the possibility of cutting Richardson if they can't find a trade partner. Of course, openly admitting that they'd be willing to let a player on the trade market go for nothing would be malpractice, but it could force an interested suitor's hand.

Furthermore, he said they're most focused on Richardson's immediate future rather than looking ahead.

"We haven't even talked about it," Ballard responded when asked if the Colts will exercise the fifth-year option on Richardson. "That's one I hadn't even thought about right now. I'm more thinking about his future. Is it with [the Colts] or is it with a different team?"

Even though Richardson's days in Indianapolis feel numbered, Ballard and Co. still believe in him to right his wrongs. He is currently training in Jacksonville while his future gets sorted out. Richardson is said to be in the latter stages of his recovery, proving to be a great teammate throughout the process.

"He's still recovering a little bit, but he's cleared for activity and is doing everything," Ballard said in an update on Richardson's road to recovery. "I think he's in a good spot...He's a great teammate. He's a good guy, a good person. He cares about the team. That's important. If he was salty, we'd be talking a different story here, but that's not who he is."

Richardson's health is the number one factor for any potential trade of his services, so the longer he's stuck recovering, the harder it'll be to deal him. It's promising that he can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but even then, multiple factors need to come to fruition if Richardson wants his fresh start sooner rather than later.

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