3 quarterbacks the Colts can sign to compete with Anthony Richardson

The 2024 season is over, and Jim Irsay has made his position with the Indianapolis Colts clear: he wants to stay the course, retaining general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen. That means, by extension, that quarterback Anthony Richardson has another year to prove himself.

For many, the clock is ticking - not just on Richardson, but on Steichen as well. The 2025 season is seen as do-or-die for both, and Richardson himself is all too aware. That includes the possibility of the Colts signing other quarterbacks who could potentially compete for Richardson's job - something he said Monday he welcomes.

“I’m a natural competitor. I’ve been competing all my life. I love competing,” he said. “So, if the team feels like that’s the right direction we want to go in, I’m all for it. I’m competing. If not, I’m still here competing, working. Working my tail off to be the best version I can for this team. So, I can’t really control everything that comes with the NFL, but I know I can control what I can and I’m going to do my part to be the best version of myself for this organization.”

Joe Flacco is set to be a free agent, and with his age, it seems unlikely that he will return. So there is a good chance the team could choose to sign another quarterback to replace Flacco, but -- unlike Flacco -- this quarterback would likely be expected to serve as a mentor for Richardson, or compete for his job.

So who could the Colts be willing to sign at quarterback? Here are a few possibilities.

Justin Fields, Steelers

Fields will be a free agent when this season is over. He was benched in favor of Russell Wilson, and it is entirely likely that he will want to find a team that offers a more stable future than the Steelers. While he doesn't seem to offer as much explosive potential as Richardson, he has been efficient and consistent, and is a dual threat as well.

Richardson and Fields have similar abilities, and Fields can serve the Colts in several ways; he could help develop Richardson into a more reliable quarterback, or he could compete to take Richardson's place at QB1.

Sam Darnold

The Colts might not be able to afford Darnold, but he could be a good choice if Ballard decides to loosen the purse strings for once. Darnold had a lackluster beginning of his career before the 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings, and played extremely well before the Detroit Lions' defense utterly destroyed him.

Darnold was on a one-year deal with the Vikings, and rumors around the league already seem to suggest that he blew it with that performance against the Lions. But the Colts could take advantage of that. He's only 27, so he still has a future in the NFL ahead of him and could easily compete with Richardson for the spot as franchise quarterback.

Derek Carr

At 33, Carr is an older option than Fields or Darnold, but he's much younger than Flacco, and he's made it clear that he isn't willing to settle in New Orleans if it means taking a pay cut.

Carr is a four-time Pro Bowler, but he's coming off a season-ending injury with the Saints, who also just fired their head coach. Whoever they hire as their new head coach may not want to retain Carr, and with his experience, Carr could help mentor Richardson.