It's almost inevitable now that the Indianapolis Colts will trade away their former first-round pick from two years ago, Anthony Richardson. The only question is: where? It's been a week now that the Colts decided it was officially time to help Richardson find a new home, which means later this year, he'll be competing for a quarterback job elsewhere.
The reasoning for the Colts' sudden change of direction has a lot to do with Richardson's continuous medical problems, but more so, it comes down to his future and the fact that he'll never get another chance to start for the Colts again now that they've seemingly settled on Daniel Jones going forward.
So, the question again remains, where could Richardson go that would offer him the best opportunity at a second chance, or maybe better yet, a place where he can learn under an established quarterback, and hopefully, grow into one himself down the road?
Well, there is one team out there that has a coach who is high on Richardson, and it also happens to be a team that could need a new quarterback very soon.
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell might be the answer for Colts' Anthony Richardson's career restart
The knock on Richardson centers around his questionable professional approach to football, lack of consistency, and, of course, injuries. On top of that, he's made some rather head-scratching decisions on the field and with his words. Still, despite these blemishes, there is real talent behind the curtain because Richardson can play.
You know who firmly believes this? Kevin O'Connell, the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings, believes it. Perhaps it wasn't worthy of any viral recognition in the moment, but a short interaction on the field after a Colts-Vikings matchup a year ago only now carries some serious weight, and for two reasons.
One, and the most obvious, the Colts intend to trade Richardson. Two, the Vikings may or may not have a quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, but if they don't, they need to find another.
That short interaction, including some very honest and telling comments from O'Connell to Richardson, is resurfacing at just the right time, because if O'Connell has any leeway in the decision-making for the Vikings, it might pave a way for a Vikings-Colts trade in the near future.
“You’re a bad dude, and you’re gonna play a long time in this league," O'Connell was heard on camera saying to Richardson. "Go to work every day, and good things will happen for you. I still believe in you.”
Those are some endearing comments from one opposing coach to an opposing player. O'Connell also expressed his belief that the Colts' coaches and organization had faith in Richardson, but it's clear that this isn't the case anymore.
Do O'Connell's words, faith, and belief in Richardson mean anything real regarding a trade between the Colts and Vikings? Maybe not. Still, with the Vikings in the middle of their own quarterback conundrum, and Richardson looking for a new home, it's hard to believe O'Connell isn't thinking about what could be.