Panthers Floated as Unexpected Anthony Richardson Sr. Trade Suitor

The top storyline for the NFL outside of the Combine is the Indianapolis Colts allowing quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. to seek a trade.

Breaking: The Colts have given quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. permission to seek a trade, a league source told @HolderStephen. pic.twitter.com/9U18pueTYY
— ESPN (@espn) February 26, 2026

Now that Richardson is available, plenty of suitors will be open to dealing with Indianapolis to take a chance on the young quarterback's unreal traits after three rough years in the Circle City.

Some teams that have emerged as new destinations are the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. However, Carolina Panthers on SI's Zach Roberts believes Carolina could be a spot for Richardson to land.

"The Carolina Panthers have made Andy Dalton available in a trade, which is not surprising after GM Dan Morgan's comments. He wants to get younger and more athletic behind Bryce Young.

Dan Morgan also mentioned wanting competition at QB, and Richardson could potentially provide that. He's still very raw, but if he and Young both develop into the top-tier QBs they once could have, Richardson's physical abilities might take him over the top."

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (blue and white uniform) practices before a game starts. — Sep 28, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Panthers made backup veteran QB Andy Dalton available for trade, which suggests the NFC contender needs a new insurance policy behind Young.

While Richardson would be the ideal man for the job, especially since the Panthers' general manager, Dan Morgan, mentioned he wants competition with Young, Richardson isn't realistic.

Richardson couldn't stay steady as the starter for the Colts, so the ideal landing spot would be a squad that will try to definively make him the starter.

That's why Roberts' idea of the Panthers being the team to trade for Richardson is far out on a fragile limb. Richardson already partook in a QB competition with Daniel Jones and lost, and that same scenario could play out with Young.

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Richardson may have had a brutal time as the Colts' starter, but after spending three seasons in the NFL, perhaps he's adjusted and learned enough to hit the right stride with the perfect team.

The team that tops all of them is undoubtedly the Vikings.

During the 2024 season, Richardson was benched when the Colts faced the Vikings in Week 9. This was following Richardson tapping out against the Houston Texans the previous week due to exhaustion.

This wasn't taken lightly by head coach Shane Steichen, who decided to teach Richardson a lesson and allow Joe Flacco to take the starting reins.

After Indy lost the game, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell took to the field to talk up Richardson and brighten his spirits following the benching.

O'Connell said: "You're a bad dude and you're going to play a long time in this league. I still believe in you."

This was Anthony Richardson with Kevin O'Connell in 2024 after a Colts/Vikings game:

"You're a bad dude and you're going to play a long time in this league. I still believe in you."pic.twitter.com/GROsJmspSx https://t.co/dBo8aTYr5p
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 26, 2026

Given how bad Minnesota's quarterback situation is with J.J. McCarthy, it makes the Vikings the ultimate trade destination so that O'Connell can try to accomplish with Richardson what Steichen couldn't.

Whatever the case, Richardson's agent Deiric Jackson isn't settling for a team that will either make Richardson a backup, or put him into another quarterback competition like Carolina would.

I fully expect the Vikings to make a push to get Richardson into their ranks, especially considering O'Connell has had his eye on the dynamic quarterback since the 2024 campaign.

We'll see where Richardson lands after the trade news, but it's not going to be Carolina, or any other squad that won't give him an outright shot at starting.