The Indianapolis Colts have finally decided to move Anthony Richardson. It will be to the bench, rather than another team, but the Colts still need to be asking themselves what they would get back in an Anthony Richardson trade. Transactions for quarterbacks his age, so quickly after being a top draft selection, are few and far between.

In 2009, the Denver Broncos sent Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Kyle Orton, two first-round picks, and a third-round pick. He was three years removed from being the 11th selection in the 2006 draft. At the time, his career completion percentage was 62.5%, he was averaging 243.9 yards per game, and had 54 touchdowns to 37 interceptions.

Richardson is in his second season, drafted 4th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Due to injury, he has only started 10 games in his brief career, completing 50.2% of his passes, for 153.5 yards per game, and 7 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. His career numbers resemble Johnny Manziel more than Cutler, so it’s possible no team would be willing to trade anything for him.

An incredibly raw prospect, there is something exciting about Richardson’s game. He is big (6’4 and 245lbs), fast (4.43 forty), has a top-5 NFL arm, and is still only 22 years old. He has accumulated 378 yards rushing on just 66 carries (5.7 yards per carry). There is a still a market for him, if the Colts want to trade him, but it is likely a conditional pick, based on how underdeveloped he is.

A team could probably acquire the former Florida Gator for something in the vicinity of a fourth-round pick that becomes a third if he starts 12 or more games in a season, and a second-rounder if he makes a Pro Bowl. Because of the conditions, that would have to be a 2026 pick, and the Colts would want something to show for it right now, so a 2025 fourth-round sweetener might have to be added.

Could An Anthony Richardson Trade Happen?

Anthony Richardson Trade

The team acquiring Anthony Richardson might find this easy to swallow since they would be getting him with two more years on his rookie deal, and a team option. It’s also not a huge loss if he doesn’t pan out, and all he cost was two 4th round picks. Best or worst case, depending on the view, he becomes a star, and it only cost a 4th and a 2nd.

It’s time for the Colts to move on from this failed experiment, and start planning who they will draft next offseason. That could start with an Anthony Richardson trade. Teams who should be on the phone, if this were the asking price, should include the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. The New York Jets could look to groom him behind Aaron Rodgers. The low salary and asking price could also make him an appealing option for the Pittsburgh Steelers, LA Rams, New Orleans Saints, and the Carolina Panthers.

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