Despite the Indianapolis Colts’ loss by a score of 38-30 to the Houston Texans, rookie quarterback Riley Leonard showed a lot of potential.
Leonard’s performance caught the eyes of many, and with many inconsistencies surrounding Anthony Richardson, the team might be convinced to explore trades for the former first-round pick.
NFL Insider Proposes Idea for Colts After Riley Leonard Shines
Since being drafted with the fourth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Richardson has only played in 17 games. In those games, he has 2,400 yards for 11 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 50.6% completion rate. Additionally, he’s rushed 115 times for 634 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In PFSN’s QBi, he only played enough games in 2024 to qualify, finishing with a season rank of 25, an impact score of 72.6, and a grade of C-. While he shows promise as a runner, his inconsistent play as a passer is alarming, leading the team to opt for Daniel Jones over him.
In 13 games this season, Jones completed 68.0% of passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Additionally, he rushed 45 times for 164 yards and five touchdowns. In just a few games, he proved to have more potential than Richardson, despite being older by a few years.
Colts’ offseason QB path seems relatively clear:
*Re-sign Daniel Jones
*Develop Riley Leonard as a QB2
*Explore trade options for Anthony Richardson, who could follow blueprint of other top-five picks who thrived elsewhere.— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 4, 2026
Then, there’s Leonard, who completed 61.7% of passes, threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, and rushed for 21 yards and another touchdown in today’s loss to the Texans.
Considering the varying talent levels in the Colts’ quarterback room, ESPN Senior NFL Reporter Jeremy Fowler proposed the team move forward.
“Colts’ offseason QB path seems relatively clear: Re-sign Daniel Jones, develop Riley Leonard as a QB2, explore trade options for Anthony Richardson, who could follow the blueprint of other top-five picks who thrived elsewhere.”
It seems like the Richardson experience in Indianapolis is over, considering Jones is a much more accurate version of him. While Richardson may be a better rusher, Jones makes up for it in throwing ability. With Leonard shining, he will likely push Richardson out, as he is a cheaper backup option and could have a more consistent game.
A trade out of Indianapolis is the best-case scenario for both parties. Richardson is only 23 and still has room to develop. He could be attractive to quarterback-needy teams this offseason. Even a trade behind a veteran can suit him well, and perhaps a career resurgence similar to Jones’ is in the cards for him. As for the Colts, they can recoup a draft pick and use it to fill their different needs.
