Things haven’t gone to plan for the Indianapolis Colts since they elected to finally step off the veteran quarterback carousel and use their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Anthony Richardson.

Injuries and mental lapses on the field have led him to struggle to become the franchise QB the franchise drafted him to be. Now the Colts seem to be happy making Daniel Jones their long-term starter, and a change of scenery seems on the horizon for Richardson.

Now, the question is what the Colts will be able to get in return. Five different writers here at A to Z Sports elected to send in a trade offer for the former first-round pick, and in the end, I chose which one I believed to be the best return for the Colts. 

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Cardinals prepare to move on from Kyler Murray with a trade for Richardson

Offer: ARI sends 2026 5th round pick to IND for Anthony Richardson

“The Cardinals are expected to enter a transitional period at quarterback. The future of Kyler Murray is unknown, but there are reports that he will be on the trade block as Arizona looks for a reset with a new coaching staff. If they are able to move off of Murray, this sort of move makes even more sense.

Bring in a lottery ticket sort of young option in Richardson, accompanied by a veteran, bridge-style of QB, to go along with him. Jacoby Brissett could even be in that discussion for a possible return. Richardson hasn’t proven anything at this level, and his availability is also a concern. 

With that, it is hard to imagine anything more than a day three pick in this year’s draft being the compensation for him. If that’s the case, I think it makes sense for the Cardinals and should be on their radar early this offseason.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports NFL anaylst

Steelers would give Richardson the chance to replace Aaron Rodgers

Offer: PIT sends 2027 6th round pick with playing time conditions that can turn it into a 4th round pick to IND for Anthony Richardson

“The Pittsburgh Steelers have always operated as a franchise willing to give second chances. We also know how much the franchise has always loved dominant players. Richardson struggled to see the field and play with processing requisites of a starting caliber quarterback, but his athletic profile is what will keep him in the NFL for years to come. 

For the Steelers, if Aaron Rodgers were to ride off into the sunset, instead of just giving the keys to Will Howard or Mason Rudolph, I would be intrigued by a three way competion between Richardson, Howard, and Rudolph. 

I understand that he competed last offseason with Daniel Jones, but the Colts would have never signed Jones and certainly not to the amount they did if they intended for him to be a backup. Get Richardson in camp healthy and see what he can do.” – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Pittsburgh

Vikings attempt to finally give Kevin O’Connell Richardson in the QB room

Offer: MIN pick 97 (projected comp 3rd round pick) and 2027 5th round pick (from PHI) to IND for Anthony Richardson and a 2027 4th round pick

“There isn’t a single team in the NFL that is more desperate at quarterback than the Minnesota Vikings. J.J. McCarthy showed plenty of positive flashes during his first year as a starter, but it was paired with terrible play and missing another seven games due to injury, making it 25 of 35 games missed in his two-year career. 

Not being on the field has been a major issue for him, so why not trade for a quarterback of the same ilk?! I kid I kid, but Richardson presents a fascinating idea for the Vikings. 

It’s not a secret that Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell loves Richardson. There was that viral clip after the Sunday night win over the Colts in 2024, where O’Connell praised Richardson. 

The biggest thing with Richardson hasn’t been talent, but doing the little things to access all of his abilities. Is O’Connell the right coach to unlock it? Considering he is obsessed with chasing shot plays, the negatives Richardson offers can be mitigated with the desire to attack vertically. 

Considering how his career has gone, trying to build out a fair trade package is a difficult one, as multiple teams will likely want to trade for him, so an aggressive type trade should be a priority.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Minnesota

Dolphins could bring Richardson back home to Florida

Offer: MIA sends picks 75 (3rd round) and 111 (4th round) to IND for Anthony Richardson and picks 80 (3rd round) and 113 (4th round)

The Dolphins are interested in turning over all stones in their bid to find a quarterback. But what they aren’t particularly interested in, by all accounts, is giving away draft picks.

 “If anything, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan would like to collect several **MORE** draft selections for 2026. But the Dolphins do have a plethora of picks in the middle rounds to play with and leverage against the Colts’ picks. 

Richardson’s stock is pretty low, but a possible starting quarterback contender for less than $5.5 million in cash this season is worth kicking around on. The Dolphins would like to offer Indianapolis a pick swap arrangement to help move the Colts up in the order, but also while keeping the total picks equal.” – Kyle Crabbs, A to Z Sports Miami

Packers could provide Richardson with the chance to replicate what Malik Willis did in Green Bay

Offer: GB sends 2026 7th round pick to IND for Anthony Richardson

“I know this isn’t the most enticing offer for the Colts, but Richardson is set to make $5.385 million in 2026, so the cash savings are a real component. Moreover, not many teams will be willing to part ways with significant draft capital and this amount of cap space for him.

That being said, if the Packers can replicate what they did with Malik Willis, that’d be an intriguing scenario. In 2024, Green Bay sent a seventh-round pick to an AFC South team (the Tennessee Titans) and transformed Willis into one of the best backups in the league. 

Now that Willis is set to depart in free agency, projecting a starting opportunity, Anthony Richardson could be the next developmental guy — with potentially even more upside, albeit with more risk as well. Right now, the Packers only have Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord behind Jordan Love.” – Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Sports Green Bay

Vikings win the Anthony Richardson sweepstakes

The best offer sent in undeniably came from the Vikings. Being able to land a third-rounder in this year’s draft, where the Colts are already short on picks, would be a pretty valuable return. Even with having to move back around in the 2027 draft, I think the 2026 third-rounder would be enticing enough to win the Colts over.

I also think the Colts are likely to work with Richardson to find a spot that gives him the best chance to succeed in his second chance in the NFL. The Colts understand that they played a role in this experiment not working out in Indy and pairing Richardson with a coach like O’Connell could be their way of helping the young QB out on his way out of Indianapolis.

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