The Indianapolis Colts might have a quarterback controversy on their hands, but not when it comes to the starter. Daniel Jones is going to be QB1, and he will be a full participant in training camp. The true battle will be between Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard for QB2.
That is a drama that shouldn't be allowed to unfold, mostly because Richardson is still hoping to be traded. According to what general manager Chris Ballard told the media on Tuesday, the quarterback has not rescinded his trade request from earlier this offseason. Why would Indy potentially play a quarterback who doesn't want to be on the team if Jones gets hurt again?
Plus, Leonard looked as good in his one start as a rookie, which came in Week 18 against an elite Houston Texans defense (at least in the first half of the game), as Richardson ever has. With more reps, Leonard could prove to be the first-round pick that Richardson was but shouldn't have been.
Anthony Richardson still wants the Indianapolis Colts to trade him
Richardson wants to go, and he should. Ballard also said the team would be fine with keeping all three quarterbacks on the roster, just as they did in 2025. Sort of. Richardson was injured for most of the season after he broke an orbital bone in Week 6 warm-ups. It was a freaky injury in the quarterback's long history of freaky injuries.
No team should keep paying players who don't want to keep being paid. Sure, the quarterback will take the $5,385,549 he is guaranteed from Indy in 2026, but that doesn't mean he wants to help the team win. He doesn't. The QB wants to be traded.
It isn't Indianapolis's fault that other teams have likely taken a look at potentially adding Richardson and seen his production and health and said, "Nah."
Basically, the Indianapolis Colts are paying good money to a disgruntled employee who interacts with all other employees daily, and the other personnel know that one of them doesn't care to help the company succeed. That is Anthony Richardson, and that isn't an opinion. He's requested to be traded, and he is standing by that.
The Colts could simply take what anyone is willing to give them in draft value for the quarterback. The hope is that Daniel Jones is the long-term QB1 and a good one. His presumed backup, Riley Leonard, has three years left on his contract. Richardson has one, and he shouldn't have that long.
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