The Lions have the potential to change the future of the franchise with a trade with the Colts for Anthony Richardson
Think about the future
After three weeks and three impressive wins, it’s probably safe to say that the Daniel Jones era with the Indianapolis Colts is real. It’s probably also safe to say that the Colts might be done with the Anthony Richardson experiment. An experiment that I believed failed Richardson at every step. Teams are likely to start making phone calls to inquire about Richardson, and the Detroit Lions should be among them.
Why the Lions’ trading for Anthony Richardson has the potential to change the franchise’s future
Let me say right out front, this is Jared Goff’s football team, and it will remain Goff’s football team for a while now. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but if you think the Lions’ search for a premium backup quarterback and their quarterback of the future is over just because Hendon Hooker didn’t work out, you might be crazy.
The Lions have the potential to have one of those things with Richardson. It could be their version of Patrick Mahomes, Jordan Love, or Aaron Rodgers. A guy who sits under the learning tree and learns for a while before he gets a chance to touch the field. Everyone knew that coming out of Florida, Richardson was a developmental project with big upside, but the Colts chose to rush him out there. They then benched him, put him back in, benched him again, and ultimately, he got hurt.
In Detroit, he gets a chance to learn from Dan Campbell, John Morton, Mark Brunell, Marques Tuiasosopo, Kyle Allen, and even Jared Goff. There is just a wealth of quarterback knowledge to surround a young player with. Given that he’s still just 23 years old, the age at which many rookies will be eligible for next year’s draft, the Lions have time to build with him.
Look, I know you might think that Richardson just is what he is, but Lions fans of all people have to know how significant a change of scenery can be. Goff was nearly dead and buried when he got here, and last year, he was an MVP candidate. Another guy we just talked about in this same article is Jones. On his third team, we’re seeing the vision with him. Baker Mayfield is another, and Geno Smith is one more. Some guys need the right place, and that right place for Richardson could be Detroit.
What would the Lions have to give up? A 2026 fourth-round pick should get the deal done for the Lions. It’s a little more than you want to spend, but considering the alternative is potentially drafting someone in the first or second round, that’s not too bad a price. Again, it’s hard not to see this team drafting a quarterback or getting one in some form.
We’ll see where things go in the coming weeks, but this move is worth it if you ask me.
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