The Indianapolis Colts selected Anthony Richardson Sr. with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after the Florida product started just 13 games in college. The gamble backfired spectacularly as the young quarterback struggled and got benched for Joe Flacco in 2024.
In 2025, Daniel Jones beat him for the starting job in training camp and played well enough to secure a contract extension from the franchise. The Colts have granted Richardson permission to seek a trade, yet after months of searching, no destination has materialized. However, one analyst believes the Los Angeles Rams should make the move for the 23-year-old quarterback.
Los Angeles Is the Best Destination for Anthony Richardson Sr.
Initially, the Green Bay Packers showed interest after losing backup Malik Willis to the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
In a recent segment on PFSN’s “Football Debate Club,” analyst Jacob Infante floated the Rams as a potential landing spot for Richardson.
“I think the Rams should look into him, for sure,” Infante said. “There were rumors of Matthew Stafford retiring after his MVP season, and even though he’s coming back this year, he’s 38 years old now. He won’t be playing forever.”
“Obviously, Anthony Richardson is going to need a quarterback-friendly environment to thrive in, and sitting a year under Matthew Stafford, developing under Sean McVay, and throwing to Puka Nacua, to me, that sounds like as quarterback-friendly an environment as there can be,” Infante added.
Stafford won the NFL MVP last season and committed to returning for 2026, but Los Angeles needs a succession plan. Richardson fits that timeline perfectly, and spending 2-3 years as Stafford’s understudy while learning McVay’s system mirrors Jones’ career arc, who worked with Sam Darnold under Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota before resurrecting his career in Indianapolis.
Richardson should follow Jones’ career trajectory, as both were high draft picks who flamed out with their original teams and needed a new quarterback-friendly environment to unlock their potential.
Richardson’s physical tools are elite, and his dual-threat ability would complement McVay’s play-action-heavy scheme. Paired with Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and potentially another young receiver, the former fourth overall pick would have weapons he never had in Indianapolis.
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Richardson played 11 games in 2024, throwing for 1,814 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while completing just 47.7% of his throws. He also rushed for 499 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, he finished that season with an impact score of 72.6, ranked 25th in the league.
The Colts’ asking price for Richardson is unlikely to be high, and a day-three draft pick should get the job done. This will be a low-cost, high-reward scenario for the Rams, who should start preparing for life after Stafford.
