Shocking Brandon Aiyuk trade could make Anthony Richardson a dark horse MVP candidate

As Indianapolis Colts fans are gearing up for some preseason play, with the regular season just around the corner, there are still some big storylines to follow around the league.

At the moment, one of them has to do with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, his holdout and, more than likely, an eventual trade.

CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin recently listed three "mystery teams" that could emerge in the Aiyuk sweepstakes, and who knew? The Colts were one of the three.

Benjamin noted the Josh Downs injury as being a big blow to the Colts' wide receiver core, and of course that leaves veteran Alec Pierce and rookie Adonai Mitchell as the top two options aside from Michael Pittman Jr.

He also noted the Colts having $26 million in cap space, which is one of the most sensible reasons why an Aiyuk trade could work in Indy.

If the Colts somehow pulled off a trade for Aiyuk, every bit of Anthony Richardson hype would storm through the roof.

Anthony Richardson would be set up for a potential MVP season with Brandon Aiyuk

The Colts were one game away from making the postseason last year, without Richardson. The way he started his rookie campaign, albeit in limited time, led many fans to believe this team could, indeed, win a division title.

C.J. Stroud's rookie campaign now makes a division title look tougher, but should Richardson wind up with a weapon like Aiyuk to go with Pittman and a healthy Jonathan Taylor, watch out.

Richardson brings the athleticism and strength that Stroud does not possess. He's a true dual-threat quarterback, and with a pair of top wideouts and one of the best running backs in the game, there's no telling what the future could hold for Richardson in Year 2.

Should the Colts defense improve from a season ago, this team might have a legitimate shot at competing for a division title. It all depends on just how much of a superhero Richardson turns out to be, but this move would be giving Indianapolis the true, missing piece to the offense.

Adding Aiyuk would also take pressure off Mitchell as a rookie, giving him more time to develop. Eventually, a trio of Pittman, Aiyuk and Mitchell could become one of the best in the game.

Think back to Richardson's four starts a year ago. He accounted for seven total touchdowns and threw only one interception. That was without Taylor in the back field. Give him Taylor and Aiyuk, plus another offseason of work, and do the math.

it isn't absurd to think that Richardson might end up with over 4,500 yards from scrimmage and 35 total touchdowns on the year with weapons like that.

And if he put up those numbers, to go with a winning record, that's an MVP candidate, right there.