Anthony Richardson’s Trade Price Comes into Focus
The Indianapolis Colts gave quarterback Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade last week, and immediately, some Minnesota Vikings fans and analysts speculated that Kevin O’Connell could attempt to fix him. Now, thanks to NFL insider Jason La Canfora, Richardson’s trade price may be coming into view: a 5th-Round pick.
League chatter points to menial draft capital, as Richardson’s injuries and uneven passing resume are underwhelming.
La Canfora made it sound like most teams don’t want anything to do with Richardson, but for the price of a late-rounder, the 23-year-old could explore a change of scenery.
It Won’t Cost Much to Grab Richardson
Richardson needs a new home.
La Canfora on Richardson
La Canfora claimed a 5th-Rounder could net Richardson, and explained, “Richardson, still just 23, won’t be back with the team; the problem for the Colts, as we hear it, is getting anything back in return of any particular worth. Richardson has clashed with the coaching staff, performed very erratically and has been very injury prone from running the football in such an aggressive manner.”
“While he still has some supporters in the scouting community based on his athletic prowess and potential upside, he’s not viewed as a viable starter for 2026 and rather someone who would have to compete over time for the right to start. That’s not going to bring much in return.”
The Vikings allegedly did their diligence on Richardson in the 2023 NFL Draft, but the price to trade up and get him was too steep.
La Canfora added, “He’s certainly far too young and talented to be deemed a sunk cost at this point, but also doesn’t project like a quick fix even for one of the NFL’s more proven quarterback whisperers.”
The Anonymous Executives’ Thoughts
La Canfora also shared actual quotes from his source. One executive told him, “We’re not interested. He’s too much for a project for us to take on right now. It’s not the right fit.”
Another opined, “I wouldn’t go down that road now. Too much injury risk. Look, if you really did your work on him at Florida, they were running five plays. It wasn’t a real offense and the Colts haven’t done much to bring him along. Would I give them a six, maybe a five, if I had a situation where I want to create some packages and get him on the field in certain situations? I could see that. But he would be a pass for me now as a starting option.”
A different source claimed the Jacksonville Jaguars might be a wise fit, although a trade within the AFC South might be unlikely.
Horseshoe Heroes‘ Lee Vowell noted on Richardson this week, “The Colts have until May 1 to exercise the quarterback’s fifth-year option as he was a first-round choice in 2023. No reason exists to do that, and doing so should be a fireable offense. Richardson isn’t good, and if he has his option picked up, the team would have to pay him $23 million in 2027.”
“In other words, teams thinking of trading for Richardson understand they can give Indy some kind of draft value (likely a late-round draft pick) or simply wait for Indianapolis to either release him or not re-sign him in 2026. Richardson will only be 25 years old when the 2027 season begins. That is definitely young enough to potentially have many years left to play in the league.”
Richardson’s Production to Date
Richardson has started 15 games in three seasons, a career marred by injuries and inconsistent performance. Sometimes, he’ll throw the most incredible deep ball you could ever imagine. Then, he won’t be able to convert a basic completion. He’s basically the AFC version of J.J. McCarthy.
In 15 starts, Richardson has passed for 2,391 yards (159.4 per game) and 11 touchdowns, plus 13 interceptions. He also has the measly 50.6% completion rate, which is utterly atrocious. On the other hand, he’s rushed for 635 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Scaled to 17 games — if he can stay healthy — his production through three seasons would look like this:
- 2,709 Passing Yards
- 24 Total Touchdowns
- 15 Interceptions
- 719 Rushing Yards
Since 2023, he’s posted a -0.014 EPA+CPOE, translating to an equivalent of Dillon Gabriel’s performance in 2025 if you watched any Cleveland Browns football.
Vikings May Not Have Room for Two Developmental Passers
When the Richardson rumor mill and eventual trade flush out, the Vikings probably don’t have room for Richardson at this time. He’s a guy to add for Minnesota in an alternate universe in 2022 or 2023, when the Vikings employed an aging passer like Kirk Cousins. In fact, some have theorized the Los Angeles Rams as a smart landing spot.
Minnesota already has its development passer in McCarthy, and if he falters, it may not be the best plan to roll with a less accurate quarterback in Richardson.
It’s why the Vikings reportedly have veterans like Kyler Murray, Geno Smith, and the aforementioned Cousins on their radar. Those men are accurate and would provide a credible baseline performance if something happened to McCarthy.
Richardson is a developmental wildcard — just like McCarthy.
But at least the world knows he can probably be obtained for a low-risk 5th-Round pick.
You must be logged in to post a comment.