Indianapolis Colts quarterback and former No. 4 pick Anthony Richardson has more physical upside than the vast majority at his position.
However, none of that matters if Richardson isn’t able to stay healthy and use those tools properly. Through two seasons in the NFL, those are the biggest issues for the former Florida Gator, and although the usual rule is to give a young QB three seasons to prove himself, the Colts may find themselves with an offer they have trouble refusing.
Colts Predicted To Give Up on Anthony Richardson
While the Tennessee Titans, who hold the No. 1 pick, need a quarterback, this might not be the year to do so. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the consensus top two at the position, but neither possesses the generational talent coming out of college that Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels had last year.
The Titans could opt to be patient on finding their franchise QB, leading Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox to predict Tennessee will deal the top selection to the Colts in exchange for the No. 14 pick, the No. 151 pick, their 2026 first-round pick, and Richardson.
“Where would third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson rank in this year’s draft class? That’s a question the Titans would have to ask themselves if faced with this offer from the Indianapolis Colts,” Knox wrote. “[Daniel] Jones, who largely disappointed in New York, probably isn’t Indianapolis’ long-term answer. If the Colts don’t believe Richardson is either, the idea of resetting with this year’s top QB prospect could become rather tempting.”
Richardson appeared in a rather disappointing 11 games for the Colts last season, leading him to slot all the way at No. 37 in PFSN’s QB+ metric. Meanwhile, their offense came in at No. 21, per PFSN, so it would make sense why their patience with the 22-year-old is running low.
It would be unclear who the Colts would take at No. 1, but as many mock drafts project, including PFSN’s latest, Ward would go off the board with the top selection.
“Meanwhile, the Titans could be intrigued by the idea of adding a 22-year-old quarterback whose ceiling might be even higher than Ward’s,” Knox stated. “Given Richardson’s lack of development in Indianapolis, he probably wouldn’t draw first-round value in a trade if dealt alone. However, a young quarterback, two first-round picks and a fifth-round sweetener might be enough to convince the Titans to move into the middle of Round 1.”