Previously, quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. was staying away from the Indianapolis Colts during springtime workouts after he requested a trade. However, he recently reported to the team once it became clear that no club was all that interested in sending the Colts anything of value for his services.
For a mailbag published on Wednesday, Colts reporter James Boyd of The Athletic suggested that general manager Chris Ballard could have made a career-changing decision regarding Richardson had the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft chosen not to participate in voluntary sessions.
Were Colts ready to move on from Anthony Richardson Sr. this spring?
“Before Richardson rejoined the Colts for spring practice,” Boyd wrote, “I honestly thought waiving him was a realistic possibility. But now that he’s back in the fold, the likelihood of Richardson being waived is very slim. From talking to a few people behind the scenes on both sides, it appears that they’re trying to approach this situation amicably and professionally as his trade request looms over the franchise.”
The Colts seem serious about letting Richardson compete with 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard for the primary backup job as starter Daniel Jones continues to recover from the ruptured right Achilles tendon he suffered this past December. Meanwhile, a Tuesday report said that Richardson “has accepted that it is almost certain that he plays out this season with the Colts and then takes his chances in free agency next year after fulfilling his rookie contract.”
Richardson is on track to hit the open market next offseason after the Colts declined the fifth-year option for 2027 attached to his rookie deal.
Why the Colts may change their minds about Anthony Richardson Sr.
“The Colts need to have a serious conversation about what Richardson’s presence really means,” Boyd added. “If he’s just here as a placeholder for the third-string spot behind Jones and Leonard, then he should be waived. It would be a waste of everyone’s time to bring him back and bury him on the depth chart with no real chance to elevate.”
The fact that NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom US shared on Tuesday that “Richardson has not been a distraction of any sort since reporting to Indianapolis” would lead one to believe his presence shouldn’t be a negative for the team as Jones works toward returning to full fitness. However, history shows the situation could change if Richardson believes at any point this summer that he has basically been relegated to QB3 duties.
If such a scenario plays out, Ballard may decide to simply let Richardson go for nothing and accept that the fourth-year pro will go down as one of the biggest busts in franchise history.
“If Richardson can’t beat out Leonard to move up the depth chart,” Boyd noted, “that would be quite the statement about his NFL future.”
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