Anthony Richardson requested to be traded from the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, and so far, no team has been a taker. What isn't known is if a prospective buyer has given a deal to Richardson, and he and his agent have delivered that to Indy, and Indy said no. But that doesn't appear to have happened.
Still, many NFL pundits have speculated where the QB could go, and one team keeps being brought up as his next destination: The Arizona Cardinals. The latest analyst to do so is FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano in a recent article about one player each NFC team should trade for.
Arizona would make sense after the team released longtime starter Kyler Murray this offseason. Murray ended up with the Minnesota Vikings, a far better home for him than the lost franchise in the Southwestern desert. For now, the Cardinals have either Gardner Minshew or Jacoby Brissett set to be QB1, but neither is a good long-term option.
Indianapolis Colts' Anthony Richardson keeps getting linked to the Arizona Cardinals
Anthony Richardson might not be a good prospective starter, of course. Colts fans know all too well how inefficient he has been when given chances to start, completing just a bit more than 50 percent of his passes and having more interceptions than touchdown passes.
What is certain is that Richardson, unless something goes very wrong, will ever be the starter for Indy again. General manager Chris Ballard re-signed Daniel Jones this offseason, and his presumed backup will be Riley Leonard, who is entering his second season.
Leonard only got a chance to start in Week 18 last season, but he was so good against a great Houston Texans defense that he pushed Richardson to QB3. In fact, one could argue that Leonard looked better than Richardson ever did as QB1.
In return for Richardson, Vacchiano proposes that Arizona send the Indianapolis Colts a 2026 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round choice. While the trade return for the No. 4 overall selection in 2023 seems quite low, it is also likely realistic.
Teams know that they don't need or seemingly want Anthony Richardson anymore. That means no one is going to overpay for a quarterback who has a strong arm and runs well, but still needs a lot of development. He is a risk many teams don't want, and Arizona might because it has time to take the gamble.
Ultimately, Indianapolis is more likely to release Richardson than trade him. He is taking up a roster spot that could go to a greater position of need, such as edge rusher. This is how far the quarterback's value to Indy has fallen.