“Extremely talented” has become the easy label for Anthony Richardson, but it doesn’t hold up when you look at what’s actually happened in Indianapolis.
Yes, the Colts quarterback has the kind of physical tools that jump off the screen. He can throw it a mile and run like few players at his position.
But those gifts have never translated into the kind of production that earns a quarterback that tag. Physical ability is one thing; real football talent is another.
That distinction matters, especially now that Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon included Richardson among possible trade candidates in a recent piece on moves that could happen around training camp. The trade speculation may be fair, but the “talented” part is where the conversation goes off the rails.
Richardson has never proven he can consistently play winning quarterback. Injuries have limited him, and when he has been on the field, the results haven’t matched the hype.
In three seasons, he has made 15 starts and thrown 11 touchdown passes against 13 interceptions. His quarterback rating sits at 67.8.
That’s not the profile of a quarterback who has shown greatness, no matter how often that word gets attached to him. The more accurate way to describe Richardson is as a player with rare physical gifts who has not turned them into dependable NFL production.
Even this offseason didn’t bring a market for him. Richardson requested a trade, but no team made a notable offer - or perhaps any offer at all - to get him out of Indianapolis. He also showed up for the Colts’ voluntary workouts, even after asking to be moved and with no realistic path to reclaiming the starting job.
That job now belongs to Daniel Jones, who beat him out for QB1 duties in 2025. Richardson is also in the final year of his rookie contract, since Indy did not pick up his fifth-year option for 2027.
For the Colts, the story is trending toward a familiar conclusion. Richardson was the fourth overall pick in 2023, a high-risk selection because of how little he played in college, and he has not developed into a long-term starter.
At this point, he looks more like a future backup than a franchise answer. Indy, for its part, should just see Riley Leonard in that role.
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