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Why Colts granted quarterback Anthony Richardson to seek trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The belief was that it was inevitable the Indianapolis Colts would trade quarterback Anthony Richardson and now the team has taken the first step to doing so.
According to ESPN's Stephen Holder, the Colts granted Richardson permission to seek a trade nearly three years after taking him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
"The Indianapolis Colts have given QB Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade given his uncertain future in Indy, ESPN has learned," Holder reported.
Why Colts want to trade Anthony Richardson
There are several reasons why the Colts are going this route.
For starters, Richardson has been a major disappointment over three seasons in the NFL. Not only has he been ineffective when on the field, but Richardson has also routinely had injury issues.
In 2025, the Colts decided to roll with Daniel Jones as their starter over Richardson, which was the first sign he wasn't long for Indianapolis.
The Colts are likely to re-sign Jones on a long-term deal, and a report suggests the team is strongly considering rolling with Riley Leonard as its QB2 in 2026, which only makes Richardson more expendable.
Richardson's stock is no doubt in the toilet, but we could see several teams having interest in him, as he's still just 23 years old and we've seen plenty of down-and-out quarterbacks revive their careers after a change of scenery in recent years.
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