As the preseason winds toward its finish, Anthony Richardson is back in the rumor mill, and FOX NFL writer Steve Ruiz thinks three teams should be watching closely: the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
The idea is simple enough. If Riley Leonard wins the backup job behind Daniel Jones in Indianapolis, Ruiz believes the Colts should start taking calls on Richardson. That’s the opening he pointed to while arguing that quarterback-needy teams ought to at least check in.
“I’m still not ready to give up on Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, whose preseason tape has been a lot better than the numbers imply,” Ruiz wrote. “Teams like Miami, Cleveland and Atlanta should give the Colts a call if Riley Leonard ends up winning the QB2 job behind Daniel Jones in Indy.”
Richardson’s latest outing didn’t help his stat line. In Indianapolis’ 34-6 preseason loss to Atlanta on Saturday, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft completed three of nine passes for 24 yards and finished with a 42.4 passer rating. He also ran for 15 yards on three carries.
Leonard, meanwhile, went seven of 14 for 62 yards and posted a 62.2 passer rating.
The conversation around Richardson hasn’t disappeared because of one preseason game. His best NFL season so far came in 2024, when he still flashed plenty of inconsistency.
In 11 games, he threw for 1,814 yards, completed 47.7% of his passes, and totaled eight touchdowns against 12 interceptions. His numbers also included a 61.6 passer rating and a 44.1 quarterback rating.
What keeps Richardson interesting is the athleticism that comes with the rough edges. He rushed for 499 yards on 86 carries in 2024, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt and scoring six touchdowns. He also had seven fumbles, losing one.
Ruiz also touched on Atlanta’s quarterback room, noting the competition there as well.
“Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are competing for the Falcons’ starting job, but undrafted free agent Jack Strand, a standout Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead quarterback, might be the best quarterback on the roster,” Ruiz wrote.
Miami is entering the season with Malik Willis at the top of a revamped quarterback room, and Cleveland still has questions under center. That mix, combined with Richardson’s age, arm talent and starting experience, is why he remains a name to watch if Indianapolis decides to move on from its former first-round pick.
For now, the Colts’ quarterback order behind Jones is the thing to keep an eye on, because that decision could determine whether Richardson stays put or becomes one of the more intriguing trade possibilities in the league.
In Other News...
Falcons May Have Found More Than A Camp Arm In Jack Strand
Jack Strands path to Atlanta has already been a little different from the usual camp-arm story. He stayed put at Minnesota State University Moorhead even when bigger programs came calling, and the decision paid off with a strong college run that included honorable mention All-American recognition and a 2025 season in which he threw for more than 3,500 yards and 42 touchdowns. After going undrafted, he landed with the Falcons as a free agent and has given the staff a chance to take a closer look.
What makes Strand worth tracking now is that he has not looked out of place when the opportunity arrived. His recent showing against the Indianapolis Colts turned some heads and added to the sense that Atlanta may have brought in more than just a body for training camp. For a team always sorting through the back end of its quarterback room, Strands background and early flashes make him a name worth watching as the summer unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Have An Undrafted QB Story Fans Did Not See Coming
Jack Strand arrived in Atlanta with the kind of resume that usually makes a rookie quarterback an afterthought, an undrafted free agent from Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead trying to find his footing in a crowded NFL quarterback room. Instead, he has become one of the more interesting names in the Falcons preseason work, turning in a strong showing against the Colts and keeping himself in the conversation for a roster spot.
For a team sorting out its depth chart, Strands path has made him worth watching. He was a three-time Harlon Hill Trophy nominee in college and finished 10th all-time in Division II career passing yards, credentials that helped him stand out long before he got to Atlanta. Now the question is whether that production and his early preseason momentum can carry him into the kind of third-string role that would keep his unlikely rise going. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons CB3 Battle Is Suddenly Leaning Toward An Unexpected Veteran
Training camp has given the Falcons an early surprise in the nickel cornerback race, where Darnay Holmes has emerged as the current frontrunner for the CB3 job. He has been working with the first-team defense and taking advantage of a situation shaped in part by injuries to Avieon Terrell and Billy Bowman Jr., which has opened the door for him to get a longer look.
Holmes chance, though, comes with a familiar camp caveat. The Falcons still have bodies to work back into the mix, and once that happens, the competition at nickel could look very different than it does right now. For a player trying to secure a role, the key question is how much of this first-team run can be turned into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]