The Indianapolis Colts have a huge quarterback question to ask themselves, and it has nothing to do with Anthony Richardson. Daniel Jones is playing exceedingly well and is a natural fit in head coach Shane Steichen's system. But Jones was only signed for one year.
The question Indy must ask itself is how soon they want to open up contract extension talks with Jones. If he continues to play well, he will only become more expensive. He's also been paid as much as $40 million a season before, so he knows how it feels to have so much.
Jones' high-quality play is making Richardson irrelevant, though. Indy might think of trading him sooner than later simply because moving him in 2025 means his new team still has another year of AR5 on his rookie deal.
Potential trade destinations for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson
Two teams that he won't be going to, though, are the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers. He is a terrible fit in the Bengals system. San Francisco likely still has PTSD from drafting Trey Lance in 2021. Like Richardson, Lance could run well and had a strong arm, but wasn't good in the NFL.
Other teams might take a chance on Anthony Richardson, though. Three teams that have older quarterbacks could. Another that has a messy QB room could as well. Below are four options.
Las Vegas Raiders
Head coach Pete Carroll has recently said that when he was with the Seattle Seahawks, the team definitely thought about choosing Richardson in the 2023 draft. Seattle, of course, never had a chance to choose AR5 because the Colts chose before the Seahawks.
Still, clearly Carroll liked what he saw in Richardson. While he doesn't have the final roster say like he did in Seattle, Carroll might try to talk Vegas into making a move for Richardson. Current starter Geno Smith is nearly 35 years old, and Kenny Pickett is the backup. Richardson has more promise than Pickett.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers, in his first and possibly final season with Pittsburgh, is off to a good start, but he is also 41 years old with a recent injury history. He has also stated he might retire after this year. Pittsburgh's current backup is Mason Rudolph, who is solid but will never be a long-term starter.
The Steelers have to search for a new long-term QB. Even if Rodgers plays for another year, he isn't going to be QB1 for long. Pittsburgh is also likely to be too good to have a high draft pick. Adding Richardson makes sense because he is a low-risk addition, and the culture of head coach Mike Tomlin might be what Richardson needs.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints might be bad enough this year to have a high draft pick in 2025 and use that to choose a quarterback. Currently, their QB situation is a mess. Desmond Ritter is the starter, but he doesn't have the consistency to stay that way. Rookie Tyler Shough isn't ready, and might never be.
Adding Richardson would make sense this year just because the Saints don't have anyone better than AR5. Why not take a risk and see if maybe a change of scenery can help the young quarterback. Perhaps what head coach Kellen Moore says to Richardson will make more sense than Shane Steichen.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are a mess. They have enough talent to be competitive, but they began the season by getting blown out by the Indianapolis Colts. Now, Miami is 0-3 and with a head coach that appears more interested in hanging out with his players than making the team run better.
Behind starter Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins have Zach Wilson (a first-round bust himself) and rookie Quinn Ewers. Richardson might be a good fit with Miami, though, because he can throw deep well enough and create plays with his feet. He could make for a long-term backup to Tagovailoa.
Of course, the important question for the Colts is what they could get in return. A high draft pick is outof the question. More likely, a team could give Indy a fourth-round choice and general manager Chris Ballard might take it.