Matt Johnson
The Green Bay Packers have been relatively quiet this offseason, losing multiple starters from last year’s team to the open market. While a few of those voids have already been filled, another move could be on the horizon.
One NFL general manager who spoke with Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom said he expects that the Packers will be the team to trade for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson as the replacement for Malik Willis.
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There might’ve been more suitors for Richardson a few weeks ago. La Canfora reported that the Kansas City Chiefs were among the teams interested in the former first-round pick. Instead, Kansas City swung a deal with the New York Jets for quarterback Justin Fields as insurance behind Patrick Mahomes next season.
It would be similar to the move Green Bay made two years ago to acquire Malik Willis. Days before the regular season, the Packers traded a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Tennessee Titans for Willis.
However, there’s one key difference between the two. Willis, a former third-round pick, had two years remaining on his rookie deal. It gave Green Bay a high-end backup quarterback behind Jordan Love on a team-friendly deal. However, Richardson carries a $10.816 million cap hit this year and it will be the final year of his deal since the $22.483 million team option for 2027 won’t be exercised.
However, Green Bay would also provide Richardson with a great opportunity for a fresh start. He would land with the same coaching staff that proved instrumental in turning Willis’ NFL career around.
If he’s acquired by Green Bay, Richardson would compete with quarterbacks Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord to be the No. 2 behind Love next season. Given Richardson’s physical tools and athleticism, he would be the heavy favorite to win the gig.
