Colts Have Clear Potential Trade Partner for Anthony Richardson

With the Indianapolis Colts officially choosing Daniel Jones to command their offense as the QB1 for this season, it could be a call that very well marks the beginning of the end of Anthony Richardson Sr.'s time with the franchise.

While Richardson is still on as the backup to Jones this year, it's hard not to look ahead for what's to come with the former fourth-overall pick's tenure in Indianapolis. He's now been benched for his second time with the team, will likely be entering the last year of his deal this summer without a fifth-year option picked up, and thus, could be a prime trade candidate to keep an eye on.

And if a trade is inevitably in play for Richardson, a few teams projected to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason could make sense to make that move; one of which would be willing to take the gamble on the Florida product, while the Colts can capitalize on a bit of the value he has left remaining.

For Bleacher Report's Alex Kay, that perfect fit for Richardson could be none other than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could be seeking a replacement for Aaron Rodgers at the end of this season, and could have the Colts coming into play with that aspired fill-in.

In his proposed deal, as the Steelers acquire Richardson, the Colts land a 2026 third-round pick on the receiving end.

"The Steelers may be all-in on a Super Bowl run this year following the addition of Aaron Rodgers, but they still need to keep an eye on the future with this likely to be the future Hall of Famer's final season," Kay wrote. "While Pittsburgh did utilize a Day 3 pick on Will Howard, the sixth-rounder is a long-term project with limited upside. The team could try to rehabilitate a signal-caller with a far higher ceiling by trading for Anthony Richardson. With Richardson losing his starting role to Daniel Jones after a training camp battle, the Colts might be willing to move on from the athletic passer after two troubling seasons."

"Given the Steelers managed to coax a promising performance from Justin Fields last year that led to him signing a big contract with the Jets, it wouldn't be shocking to see Richardson play his best football yet in a black and yellow uniform. Giving up a Day 2 pick for a high-reward franchise quarterback would be well worth it."

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) high fives wide receiver Anthony Gould (6) on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, at a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers during training camp at Grand Park in Westfield. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Richardson has yet to work out in Indianapolis, and he may never end up getting that opportunity to do so. But, with the physical upside he still has with youth on his side at the young age of 23, there's still a world where the Colts could find their way to a day-two pick in exchange for their signal caller, even with the ups and downs he's faced early in his career.

The Steelers feel like a team that would be intrigued to make that investment. They'll probably find themselves in the quarterback market once again come next offseason, though, as always, won't have the elite positioning in the draft atop the board to get that aspired top-tier franchise guy in the first round, even if they wanted to.

Instead of eyeing the draft for their next guy, the Steelers could turn toward Richardson for the cost of a third-round pick, effectively acting as a season-long audition to try his hand at being Pittsburgh's potential number one guy to lead this offense moving forward.

If he fizzles out, no biggie, it's just a day two pick. If he pops, though, it's a move that could pay major dividends.

Of course, putting together a Richardson trade at this point in the year may be a bit premature, as there's a whole 17-game campaign ahead where the Colts' quarterback position can take many twists and turns. Yet, when taking an early look at the road ahead, it's hard not to notice the Steelers as a compelling fit to host his services, if his time in Indianapolis has indeed come to an end.

Recommended Articles