Anthony Richardson’s absence from Wednesday’s practice gave Colts fans plenty to wonder about, even if the scene itself wasn’t dramatic. He was on the field for Indianapolis, but he was dressed in sweats instead of working with the team. The reported explanation was a groin injury, though the timing of that report raised eyebrows.
The Colts haven’t exactly been eager to spell out injury details, so there still isn’t much clarity on what’s actually going on with Richardson. Head coach Shane Steichen may shed more light on it, but for now the team’s usual lack of detail leaves room for questions. That’s how the conversation gets to the obvious one: “What's going on with AR5?”
There are a few possible explanations, and none of them can be confirmed from what the team has said. It could simply be a one-practice absence with no major issue attached. It could also mean Richardson picked up a groin problem and is sitting out briefly.
Then there’s the more interesting possibility: a trade situation. Richardson asked to be dealt this past offseason, though nothing came of it, and keeping him out of practice would make sense if the Colts didn’t want to expose him to a meaningless injury. That remains speculation, but it’s part of the reason the situation feels a little strange.
For now, Richardson is still on the roster, and Riley Leonard is there too, ready to slide into the QB2 role if needed. Richardson earned that backup job after a solid preseason, and by the source’s view, he was arguably better this preseason than at any other point in his career.
That also makes him a more appealing trade piece than he might have been before. He’s still a developmental quarterback, but he showed enough flashes to look like a prospect with more upside than most. The fit with Shane Steichen’s system has been poor, and the source notes that might not change under a different head coach or offensive coordinator.
Still, the most likely outcome may be the simplest one: Richardson could be back at practice Thursday and this whole thing could amount to very little. Even so, the possibility of a future move hasn’t gone away.
He could still become a trade option for someone in 2026, and the source points to a league where quarterback injuries always create openings - with the Atlanta Falcons already in trouble and Cooper Rush starting in Week 1. Richardson could even be dealt before midseason, and at that point a missed Wednesday practice would be the least of anyone’s concerns.
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Colts Suddenly Have A Backup QB Problem At The Worst Time
Anthony Richardson Sr. was nowhere near full participation when the Colts opened practice Wednesday, standing off to the side in no pads and simply watching drills unfold. For a team trying to keep its quarterback room steady, it was a notable update on a player whose availability has already been a major storyline because of his injury history, including the fractured orbital bone that cut short his previous season.
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Around the division, there are similar reminders that September can expose a lot. Jaguars receiver Parker Washington still produced while questions lingered around his contract situation, earning praise from Trevor Lawrence for how he handled it, and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans pointed to both progress and the need for cleaner coverage after Houstons loss to the Bills. For the Colts, the bigger takeaway is simple enough: the margin for settling in is already shrinking. [Read more 🡒]