Colts ruined Anthony Richardson by passing on Bijan Robinson but Baker Mayfield can offer second chance
Anthony Richardson never should have been the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
But that’s on the Indianapolis Colts, not on a struggling fourth-year quarterback who’s already in danger of falling out of the league.
The 24-year-old Richardson has been a $28 million NFL bust, thus far.
He has much more in common with Zach Wilson and Trey Lance than Drake Maye and Caleb Williams, and Richardson might never overcome a selfish 2024 decision that saw the Colts QB bow out mid-game.
“I was tired,” said Richardson, who admitted that he was too exhausted to keep playing during a 23-20 road loss to the AFC South rival Houston Texans.
“I ain’t gonna lie. That was a lot of running right there. I didn’t think I was going to be able to go that next play. … I just needed a break.”
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The Colts could soon take a permanent break from Richardson, who’s been limited to just 17 games (15 starts) in three seasons while only completing 50.6 percent of his passes and throwing more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (11).
He’s in danger of falling into the third slot on the Colts’ training camp depth chart and currently has no shot of overtaking starting QB Daniel Jones.
Fellow backup Riley Leonard (sixth-round pick in 2025) is now a threat to Richardson, while the former Florida QB holds a standing trade request with the Colts.
“I haven’t really even talked to my agent about that recently,” Richardson recently said.
“I haven’t talked to (general manager Chris) Ballard or anybody about that recently, so I’m not necessarily sure what’s going on with that. But I’m just here right now, trying to make sure I can stamp my foot on this team and be the best version of myself I can be for the team.”
Richardson’s representation should be pushing harder for a trade before Week 1.
Barring injuries and setbacks — the same problems that have shadowed Richardson since he was drafted several rounds too high — the fourth-year QB will never start for the Colts again.
Even if he defies those odds in Indy, Richardson is almost guaranteed to never become the Colts franchise QB that he was drafted to be.
The Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals need long-term solutions at the most important positions in pro sports.
But an NFC South team engaged in a tense contract stalemate could be the most interesting option for Richardson if he becomes an official NFL reclamation project.
With Baker Mayfield battling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a better deal, a team that finished a disappointing 8-9 last season could slide even further in 2026.
The Bucs’ backup QB options don’t inspire Super Bowl confidence, while Mayfield could be gone after this season.
The Colts’ smartest move is to trade Richardson now and get whatever they can for a young QB who never should’ve been the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, when Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson and Jalen Carter were still on the board.
Indy also missed badly on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was taken at No. 20 before winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks and becoming one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Richardson will be fortunate if he receives a second contract in the NFL — and it shouldn’t be with the Colts.
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