The Indianapolis Colts have one of the NFL‘s strangest quarterback situations, with former No. 4 pick Anthony Richardson in and out of the lineup.
Richardson is inconsistent in multiple ways, as he often deals with injuries but shows flashes of being a superstar and bench-worthy player. He had a rough sophomore campaign, throwing for eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions in less than a dozen appearances.
The Colts are yet to reach the playoffs with Richardson, and one NFL analyst predicts they will replace him with veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, who is officially parting ways with the New York Jets.
Colts To Sign Aaron Rodgers After Anthony Richardson Experiment Fails
The Colts finished a distant No. 21 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric, and the main reason for their offensive limitations was Richardson. Despite exceptional arm talent and speed, he finished as the 37th-ranked quarterback in the league, the third-worst mark among all eligible players, per PFSN’s QB+ metric.
NFL Reporter Eric Williams believes the Colts are done with Richardson and predicts they will sign Rodgers, given that GM Chris Ballard is willing to bring in veteran QBs.
“Indianapolis makes the most sense for the 41-year-old signal-caller. First, the Anthony Richardson experiment has not worked for the Colts, with the Florida product having trouble staying on the field due to injuries and playing inconsistently when he has been available.”
“Head coach Shane Steichen and GM Chris Ballard are under intense pressure from owner Jim Irsay to win now, which means they must take a big swing to change the trajectory of the franchise. And Ballard has already shown a willingness to bring in veteran QBs in an effort to jump-start the offense, including Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan and, most recently, Joe Flacco.”
This lines up with other reports that the Colts plan to add a quarterback to compete with Richardson this offseason, and Rodgers would be an instant upgrade for them.
He put up solid numbers — 3,897 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions — last season and finished 21st in PFSN’s QB+ rankings. However, it was far from the highs of his MVP days, and the 41-year-old only managed to lead the New York Jets to a 5-12 record.
The Jets have decided to move on from Rodgers, and whether he is released or traded, he won’t be in New York this year. The Colts play in a winnable division in the AFC South and could be the perfect team with which to finish his Hall-of-Fame career.
Not everyone agrees that Richardson is on his way out in Indianapolis. Richardson could be a star on the rise, as PFSN’s staff predicted, “The Colts acquire Cooper Kupp or a former 49er receiver this offseason and Anthony Richardson’s star takes off.”
As with almost every NFL club, the Colts’ 2025 season appears to come down to whether or not they can find success at the quarterback position.