Indianapolis Colts predicted to trade quarterback in latest scenario, with three potential landing spots, ‘the divorce is imminent’

A scenario in which the Colts trade Anthony Richardson now

Let’s at least talk about the elephant in the room. Anthony Richardson is yet to prove himself as the franchise quarterback of the Colts, for a variety of reasons. Maybe trading him ends up being the best-case scenario for both sides.

To be clear, Richardson still has two, potentially three years on his deal, but the urgency here is the future of the coaching staff and front office. They made the call to draft the young QB, and if he doesn’t play well in 2025, they could all go down with the ship.

In our latest prediction for one trade from every NFL team, Richardson emerged as the top option for the Colts.

Indianapolis made a mistake in throwing him out there in Week 1 as a rookie. He had 13 college starts, and every scout in the country knew whoever drafted him was drafting him as a project. He needed time to learn how to play the pro game, both in reading the field and developing as a passer, as well as protecting himself in the big leagues.

Anthony Richardson is an insane athlete. He’s six-foot-four, over 240 lbs, and runs in the 4.4s. He has a cannon for an arm, can hurdle guys in the open field, and then has the speed to flat-out run away from everybody if he gets loose.

The issue he’s always had is consistency and staying healthy. He seemed to have a new niggling injury almost every weekend while playing for the Florida Gators, and so far in the NFL it’s been more of the same.

At this point, the Colts have a decision to make. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2020, and the roster appears to be slowly regressing year on year. With Richardson entering the third year of his rookie contract, the franchise either pushes their chips in on him looking drastically better when he does get on the field this season, or tries to trade him before he plays another minute.

After two seasons, it’s difficult to see Anthony Richardson as a franchise QB in Indianapolis. He had so much potential there when he was drafted, linking up with Shane Steichen, who had just helped to build a dynamic offense around the dual-threat ability of Jalen Hurts.

But if the team plays badly this year, Steichen may be out of a job, and Ballard could be gone with him. Unless there was a clear plan for the 2026 NFL draft, and the ownership group is willing to let them take another swing.

If the Colts could secure a mid-round pick for Richardson, cut their losses, and go into the 2025 season with Daniel Jones at quarterback, they could begin to prepare for a new future. The 2026 NFL draft is expected to be loaded with QBs, including Arch Manning if he were to declare.

Indianapolis could look to secure additional draft capital and then package picks if they need to select a new franchise quarterback, or maybe Daniel Jones pulls a Jared Goff and finds a new gear on a new team. Cutting ties with Richardson now may buy Steichen and company more time, which you could argue they deserve.

Despite the relentless struggle at quarterback, the Colts have won 17 games in the past two seasons. Steichen has coached an underwhelming roster to a middling record, and it’s fair to say that with the right quarterback in place, he probably has a playoff team on his hands.

If the Colts were to explore a trade, here are three options:

Three potential landing spots for an Anthony Richardson trade

Any team trading for Anthony Richardson is doing so with the future in mind. They’re not taking him to start in 2025, but more to sit, reset, get healthy, and then take a shot at the starting job in 2026.

With that in mind, consider these teams:

Las Vegas Raiders

Pete Carroll loves his athletes. He always has done. Physical outliers who don’t fit the traditional mould, and Anthony Richardson is one of them. Carroll is one of the most experienced coaches in football, who knows exactly how to nurture his players and bring the best out of them.

If you can’t find your best form under Pete Carroll, you have little chance of doing so elsewhere.

The Las Vegas Raiders have Geno Smith as their franchise QB, but there’s no denying they’re likely thinking about their future at the position, too. A mid-round pick would mean Richardson could sit and learn from Carroll and company in an environment that might work better for him long-term.

If he developed appropriately, the idea of pairing Richardson with Ashton Jeanty would be a thrill.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers made their move for Aaron Rodgers during the offseason, but that only solves the quarterback problem for a single season. The 41-year-old has admitted this is more than likely his last year, so Pittsburgh will be back in the hunt for a QB after the season.

Trading for Anthony Richardson is an option, and would then create a QB competition between him and sixth-round pick Will Howard.

The Steelers have very little to lose in making the move, and it still wouldn’t rule out drafting a quarterback in the 2026 draft.

Minnesota Vikings

JJ McCarthy might be the franchise quarterback the Minnesota Vikings are looking for. He is set to be the starter for multiple seasons, and he’s earned his shot at leading the franchise.

That said, the Vikings are in win-now mode. McCarthy has to play well immediately and there’s a lot of pressure on him doing so without a veteran presence in the locker room.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell has done a phenomenal job with his quarterbacks over the years, but he’s always had a veteran in the room. He brought the best out of Kirk Cousins and then helped Sam Darnold to a career year in 2024.

McCarthy will be the starter, but if he struggles, there is no backup plan on the roster. The Vikings haven’t been shy in bringing quarterbacks into the building, and  Richardson could learn so much from one of the best quarterback coaches in football.