Jason Burgos
On Thursday, the rumors became a reality when the Indianapolis Colts gave Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, permission to find a new home via a trade. The news is seemingly the beginning of the end of the draft bust’s time in Indiana.
The former Florida star is a perfect example of a player who unexpectedly flies up draft boards in the lead-up to the event after dazzling talent evaluators at the combine and during open workouts. Unfortunately for the Colts, the 23-year-old never came close to reaching his potential as injuries, poor play, and an underwhelming work ethic have moved Richardson into the category of first-round draft bust.
However, despite what his tape shows, there will be QB-needy teams around the league willing to take a chance on him because they believe they can unleash a player with amazing physical gifts. Especially since he is in the final year of his contract and will only be a $10 million cap hit.
With that in mind, let’s look at five teams that could target an Anthony Richardson trade over the next couple of weeks, including the Miami Dolphins.
Miami Dolphins
All signs point to the Dolphins having a new starting QB in 2026. Despite investing $212 million in Tua Tagovailoa two years ago, a pair of down seasons has the franchise ready to move on from him. To do so, it could mean taking a massive dead cap hit. Which means Miami will be looking for replacement options for cheap.
They will be a leading candidate to bring the Florida native back home once they figure out what they are doing with Tagovailoa’s contract.
Arizona Cardinals
Another franchise expected to move on from a player they have a lot of money invested in is the Arizona Cardinals. While a Kyler Murray trade could be easier to make than one for Tagovailoa, they will likely need to eat some of his contract in the deal. They will also be looking for a high upside, affordable replacement option this offseason.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs already have a superstar QB in Patrick Mahomes. However, the two-time MVP will be returning from a torn ACL next season. They would like to be cautious with their franchise legend while being competitive in the games he can’t suit up for early in the season.
Richardson won’t get to start after a certain point. However, getting the Chiefs to help develop his skills and fix his reputation would go a long way toward getting him a good contract when he hits free agency next year.
New York Jets
The New York Jets will be shopping for a QB this offseason after the signing of Justin Fields a year ago turned out to be a disaster. While they can spend a bit on a QB if they want, the word is they will be bargain shopping this year. Richardson would be a sensible option that they could land for cheap. And if he can’t fix his career in 2026, New York can cut him loose after the season.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly looking to bring in a veteran QB to potentially compete with 2024 first-round pick JJ McCarthy. There are already rumblings that they are a team to keep an eye on in the Anthony Richardson trade market. If the 23-year-old wants the best chance to reach his potential, working with QB guru Kevin O’Connell is a logical and smart choice.
