The Indianapolis Colts appear headed to having three quarterbacks on the roster again in 2026, and one of them is likely to be Anthony Richardson. He still wants to be traded, and that could still happen, but based on what Indy assistant general manager Ed Dodds said on Sunday, the quarterback is unlikely to be moved.
According to ESPN's Stephen Holder, Dodds said, "We want to have three (quarterbacks) that can play. So, if (Richardson) is one of them, he's going to be here... Look at last year. You never know."
That is a bit confusing, of course. If the team keeps three quarterbacks and Richardson isn't traded, then he will be one of the three QBs? Well, yes, of course.
Indianapolis Colts appear content to hold on to Anthony Richardson
More importantly, Dodds is doing one of two things, with the second part being more likely. One is that Dodds is selling to other teams -- ones that might want to trade for Richardson -- that Indianapolis is happy to keep him, and if some team wants him, then it will take good draft value to acquire him.
The second part is that, based on what Colts fans watched last year, lots of injuries can hit a specific position hard, and having multiple players at that spot is important, even if only one ever plays a down. Daniel Jones could be hurt once again, and having Richardson or Riley Leonard ready to replace him is a solid option to have.
The hope is that what the Colts saw from Richardson in Week 1 of the preseason against the New England Patriots didn't solidify the belief that the quarterback had turned the proverbial corner and was now ready to be good. That would be foolish.
While Richardson was mostly solid, he was also facing backups. He also had two turnovers in a half of football. His interception might not have been his fault, as the ball bounced off the hands of the receiver, but later in the half, Richardson threw a pass that should have been intercepted and deflected into the hands of a Colts receiver.
What will be more telling is how Richardson would fare against another team's starters. He needs to have better ball security and needs to be more consistent, not just have a couple of good drives and one or two bad ones. Winning quarterbacks don't have such ups and downs.
Anthony Richardson is probably also gone next offseason, either way. He will be a free agent then and will probably want to go to a team where he has some path to being a QB1. He doesn't have that with the Indianapolis Colts, as the team hopes Daniel Jones is that guy for a long time.
What is obvious, however, from the statements of assistant GM Ed Dodds is that Indianapolis is fine with keeping a player who wants to be traded. Maybe that is simply the stance the team should have, after all. Outwardly saying the team didn't want Richardson seems silly, too.
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