The Indianapolis Colts have granted Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick in 2023, the opportunity to begin trade discussions, according to his agents Deiric Jackson and Chris Rogers at Legacy Sports Advisors.
The agents spoke with general manager Chris Ballard at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Thursday, and the two parties agreed that a trade would be best for the 23-year-old quarterback.
Now, they’ll take calls.
“Just looking for fits — teams that want to build and put AR in a position to succeed,” Jackson told me.
The agents wouldn’t say which teams had reached out following the news.
“He needs a fresh start. [His next team] is gonna be surprised to find out how smart he is,” Rogers told me in Indianapolis on Thursday. “When he was drafted, he was 20 years old. So now he’s mature. He’s seen a lot. … I just think his next stop — it’s going to be box office.”
Rogers added: “He’s got something to prove. He’s going to do his job. He’s going to give his team the best chance to win. He’s excited.”
Richardson’s agents said that they hope to find a situation where he could compete to start. But they also seemed open to the idea of Richardson sitting behind a veteran to learn in a system that fits his skills.
With the Colts seemingly planning to re-sign Daniel Jones (17), Anthony Richardson is looking for a new opportunity elsewhere. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Rogers admitted he couldn’t help but think of potential matches like the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens — all with established quarterbacks who were once raw prospects. (That’s if Aaron Rodgers re-signs in Pittsburgh.)
“Nothing is off the table,” Rogers told me. “That’s why we’re intrigued.”
Richardson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, with his next team inheriting just $1.1 million in salary dollars.
After being drafted No. 4 overall in 2023, Richardson showed promise in his rookie season, taking over the starting job immediately and playing in four games, with a 2-2 record. He finished the season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
In 2024, he dealt with an oblique injury (among other injuries), but still played 11 games, with the team going 6-5. He completed 47.7% of his passes for 1,814 passing yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. That was also the year he admitted to pulling himself out of a game when he said he “needed a breather,” a decision that became polarizing, given his up-and-down season.
The team moved on to Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, and even when Jones tore his Achilles in Week 14, the Colts did not move back to Richardson. Instead, Indianapolis signed retired quarterback Philip Rivers to try to get the team into the playoffs.
Richardson threw just two passes all year. Between that and Jones’ likely return to the Colts next season, it makes sense that the team and Richardson are set to explore how and when they might part ways.
