Is There a Chance Anthony Richardson Sr. Remains With Colts?

There's no secret that the Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Richardson Sr. relationship was a disaster of the highest degree.

Now, after the biggest wave of free agency, Richardson remains on the trade block after Indianapolis granted him the request to seek a new home on February 26th.

While there are plenty of teams that hypothetically would be interested in taking a big swing on his unreal potential after three brutal years in the Circle City, they'll also be hesitant given the inefficiency, inaccuracy, lack of discipline, and injury issues.

On an episode of Up & Adams with Kay Adams, general manager Chris Ballard dove a bit into where Indianapolis was with Richardson and a potential trade suitor.

"We'll see. I got with his agent, who's done a really good job with Anthony and where Anthony's mindset is. Nothing's materialized at this point. So, we'll see what happens going forward.

I'm proud of Anthony, he's had some bad luck, unfortunately, but I'm proud of him. Anthony's a good young man, he's a good teammate. When he didn't win the job, that's one of the cool things that came out of it.

Watching him learn and be an unbelievable teammate, that was fun to watch.

When referencing where Richardson may end up through the potential trade, Ballard simply said, "you never know."

Colts GM Chris Ballard says trading QB Anthony Richardson is on the table, but "nothing's materialized at this point"@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/sXEX6zbVvy
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 30, 2026

Ballard has said before that Richardson 'is a good teammate,' and he reiterates this sentiment on Kay's show. However, after signing Daniel Jones to a monumental two-year, $88 million deal, there's no chance Indianapolis keeps the former fourth-overall investment.

Some have floated that Richardson could be the backup QB to Jones, but that's also likely dashed after Riley Leonard displayed promise as an insurance policy under center.

Another subject that has surfaced at times is what Indianapolis may get for trading Richardson to a new destination. Yes, teams are probably intrigued at what they might be able to develop him into, but this isn't a deal that will happen soon, in my opinion.

Richardson had one of the worst seasons we've ever seen from a quarterback in 2024, and that's after missing six more games due to various injuries.

Following that brutal year, and losing the starting gig to Jones, Richardson still had a golden opportunity to jump in after the former New York Giants QB went down for the year with an Achilles injury.

However, due to a fractured orbital bone from a resistance band fiasco, he wasn't able to suit up, leading to the wild development that the Colts were pulling Philip Rivers out of retirement to try and salvage the season.

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (blue and white uniform) spins a football during warmups. — Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) warms up prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Is there a reality where Richardson remains a Colts quarterback? In a literal sense, sure. However, after listening to Ballard talk about him, it sounds like the general manager isn't invested in the slightest.

Indianapolis would also have to take on his fifth-year option to keep him, which would cost the team an estimated $22,483,000 for the 2027 campaign.

They're simply not doing this with a QB that has played 17 games, thrown more picks (13) than touchdowns (11), and has amassed a completion percentage of 50.6.

I fully expect Richardson to land with a new team, even if Indianapolis has to get a bit less on their offer. They won't absorb that type of coin for a guy that might be a QB3 on their roster.

It will be interesting to see what type of package Indianapolis conjures up when they trade Richardson. Regardless of what that will look like, teams aren't going to throw immense assets at the Colts to get him.

After the complete pitfall we saw from Richardson's three years with the Colts, Indianapolis won't be able to get much out of their former fourth-overall investment.

He's gone, and Colts fans need to accept the breakup.

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