The Indianapolis Colts under the Chris Ballard era have been a complete mess, and a big reason is bad drafting. Why is he still the GM of the Colts again? One of the obvious examples of his bad drafting. An obvious example of this is his selection of quarterback Anthony Richardson in the 2023 NFL Draft. A pick that might go down as one of the biggest busts in franchise history.
Anthony Richardson Career Was Doomed On Day 1
The biggest mistake Richardson ever made was declaring for the NFL Draft. He was nowhere near ready for the league and was a raw NFL prospect. When rewatching his film, it’s clear that all he had was a rocket arm and strong athleticism. He was highly inaccurate, way too inconsistent, and could not stay healthy. Richardson should have stayed in college an extra year, gotten some more development, and then declared. By rushing the process, he was doomed from day one.
His Colts Tenure Has Been A Complete Disaster
Ever since becoming a Colt, Richardson’s career has taken a nose-dive. He is incredibly inconsistent on the field, and it doesn’t help that he has a lengthy injury history. Throughout his NFL career, he has suffered constant shoulder issues, a concussion, a lumbar sprain, and an orbital bone injury. The issue with the orbital bone happened during pregame warm-ups thanks to an elastic band accident. A player’s best ability is their availability, and he has not been available.
What makes things worse is Richardson’s attitude issues. Not only was he notably late to meetings, but he also quit in the middle of games for being too tired, which resulted in him getting benched. If he were performing well on the field, he might get away with the attitude issues, but he hasn’t. In 15 starts, Richardson put up a stat line of 2,400 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 634 rushing yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns. His record in those starts was 8-7.
With Daniel Jones having a tremendous 2025 season until the injuries, Richardson knew his time was done. He demanded a trade, but so far, a move hasn’t been made. His 5th-year option was declined, and many analysts and fans wonder where he could go next.
What Is The Next Destination For Richardson?
This is a hard question to answer because there are limited options for Richardson to start. The two teams that came to mind initially were the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams; now, both are long shots. The Rams are now out of the Richardson sweepstakes. The Rams will likely extend Matthew Stafford and selected Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Vikings are a common choice by most analysts; however, that wouldn’t be a good fit either. That QB room is crowded with J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer, and Kyler Murray. If Richardson went to Minnesota, that would have Josh Freeman 2.0 Vikings vibes. That was when Freeman got cut from Tampa Bay and joined a Vikings team that had Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder in the QB room.
If a different team were to take a chance on him, Richardson would have to be released first. With how things are going, it would not be a surprise if he is UFL or CFL-bound in a few years, unless he has a Baker Mayfield-level comeback on his second NFL team.
His Best Option Is To Stay In Indianapolis And Even That Is A LongShot
It’s hard to imagine a team giving up even a long snapper in exchange for Richardson. His best plan is to stay in Indianapolis for the last year of his contract. Jones is the starting quarterback, and he never stays healthy. Heck, he is coming off a torn Achilles and fractured fibula. Richardson would be the next man up, as Riley Leonard didn’t impress, and Seth Henigan is a tremendous unknown.
That in itself is a long shot with the Colts declining Richardson’s 5th year option and the man himself demanding a trade. Both parties should stick together until the deal is done.
The Lesson Learned With Richardson’s Tenure
The lesson to be learned for organizations is that if a team reaches in the draft on a raw prospect, take the development slowly, especially when using a top 5 pick. The Colts rushed it with Richardson, and he never recovered.
One of the big what-if questions is if NIL had happened earlier, would Richardson have stayed in college? It’s hard to tell, but declaring as early as he did was a tremendous mistake. The words that come to mind with Richardson are a cautionary tale. Hopefully, he finds a way to salvage his NFL career, because the guy has talent, but it’s clearly not gonna happen in Indianapolis.
