Anthony Richardson didn't practice on Wednesday for the Indianapolis Colts. He was on the field, but dressed in sweats. Richardson was reportedly dealing with a groin injury, though the timing of that is still odd.
Perhaps head coach Shane Steichen will offer more information or a firm timeline on Richardson's return. Indy doesn't normally provide much detail on injuries or ailments, so whatever Richardson's current issue is (if he actually has one) isn't known. That means Colts fans would rightfully be asking, "What's going on with AR5?"
The truth is no one knows except the team, and the team won't say it in any great detail. It could mean several things, though. One is that, oddly, Richardson is just being held out of one practice for no real reason. A second is that Richardson has a sudden groin problem and is missing just one practice.
Indianapolis Colts' Anthony Richardson's injury seems awfully sudden
The third is far more interesting. Is there a trade being set up, and is keeping Richardson out of practice just a smart move to not risk him to a meaningless injury? Maybe. The quarterback wanted to be traded this past offseason, and nothing materialized. He hopefully isn't going to play in the regular season because Daniel Jones will stay healthy and needs no one to replace him.
Riley Leonard is still on the active roster and could move into the QB2 spot easily if Richardson weren't able to do the job, either through injury or being traded. To be sure, Richardson was solid in preseason and earned the backup spot to Jones. He was arguably better this preseason than at any other point in his career.
That makes him a more attractive trade piece than he might have otherwise been. He has always been a project, but at least flashed he is on the higher end of a developmental prospect than many others might be. If he needed to play, he might be OK. He just has been a poor fit in Shane Steichen's system. He might not be under a different head coach or offensive coordinator.
And yet, very likely there is nothing to Anthony Richardson being held out of the Indianapolis Colts' practice on Wednesday. No matter what the team says or doesn't say, the quarterback could be right back to work on Thursday. That doesn't mean he won't be a trade option for some team in 2026.
The Atlanta Falcons are already in a mess and started Cooper Rush in Week 1. Other quarterbacks will, sadly, be injured, and replacements will be needed. Richardson could be dealt before midseason, and his missing practice would no longer be a concern, as he wouldn't be with the team.
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