The trade deadline for the NFL came and went yesterday with no changes for the Indianapolis Colts. This is not altogether surprising; general manager Chris Ballard has rarely traded anyone during his tenure. His one trade occurred in 2022, when he granted Nyheim Hines' request to be traded to the Buffalo Bills; in return, the Colts got running back Zack Moss and a conditional sixth-round pick.
Yet some wondered if things would be different now; the Colts chose to bench Anthony Richardson in favor of veteran QB Joe Flacco, and despite Flacco's poor performance against the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Shane Steichen insisted that Flacco will continue to be their starter for the rest of the 2024 season.
With that in mind, there were rumors swirling that the Colts were entertaining the idea of trading Richardson. But insiders said otherwise.
Trade Richardson? Never.
The Athletic's James Boyd reported that sources said the Colts would "never" trade Richardson. "Despite Richardson’s struggles in Year 2 and his subsequent demotion, he remains a part of Indianapolis’ future," Boyd said a source told him.
Multiple teams were reportedly interested in Richardson, something not entirely surprising considering how most of the NFL responded to his benching. Yet Boyd said that each team was given the same response: never.
Richardson, it seems, is staying put.
The future of the franchise
After benching Richardson, Steichen has argued that the Colts aren't giving up on him, and remain dedicated to his future with the franchise. The Colts resounding response to trade inquires for Richardson may indicate that Steichen is being honest about not giving up on his young QB.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter has also given positive comments about the work they're doing to develop his skills, despite being benched.
Here's Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter on where he'd like to see Anthony Richardson improve: pic.twitter.com/drig2EcEBC
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) November 5, 2024
A Colts source insisted after Richardson was benched that the team was not giving up on him. ""We are not quitting on Anthony," the source said. "That will be the story but that is not the case."
Steichen himself has said that the Colts will continue to work with Richardson, even with Flacco taking his place as the starter.
"Not giving up on Anthony by any means – really not," he said. "He's a young player with a ton of talent and he'll use this time to continue to develop and grow as a professional."