Colts have a secret weapon up their sleeves that they should use to trade for a realistic option to upgrade their pass rush
The Colts need to offer Anthony Richardson in a trade package to land Cardinals pass rusher Josh Sweat.
The Indianapolis Colts have a massive need on their defensive line at edge rusher. Laiatu Latu is going to be one of the starters in the room, but the spot opposite him is up in the air.
The team envisioned Trey Hendrickson as that starter, but couldn’t close the deal. Now, if the season started tomorrow, that spot would likely belong to Arden Key, who is best used as a rotational player.
I shared this week that I think the Colts’ best option is to trade for Arizona Cardinals star pass rusher Josh Sweat, even over the popular trade target, Minnesota Vikings pass rusher Jonathan Greenard. Now to get that trade done, I think the Colts need to use their secret weapon, Anthony Richardson.
Colts should offer Anthony Richardson in a trade package to the Cardinals for edge rusher Josh Sweat
It was reported during the scouting combine that the Colts granted their 2023 first-round pick, Anthony Richardson, the ability to seek out a team to facilitate a trade. The team followed that up by locking up Daniel Jones to a two-year contract worth up to $100 million, showing they are rolling with Jones as their starter going forward.
The Cardinals would make sense to be a possible landing spot for Richardson. Arizona’s new head coach, Mike LaFleur, was the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator under Sean McVay, a system many believe would be a great fit for Richardson.
The Colts’ hope would be to land some extra draft capital by moving on from the quarterback. But maybe the Cardinals and Colts both have something the other needs. Arizona is set to have Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew battle for their starting quarterback job after moving on from Kyler Murray.
So adding a young quarterback like Richardson to the room would give fans something to be excited about for next season, when they are likely going to be rebuilding anyway. Which means a veteran like Sweat, who is set to turn 29 this month, really doesn’t fit their current roster-building window.
The Colts, on the other hand, desperately need a starting edge rusher and are likely willing to part with draft capital to do so. So maybe the Colts can lower the price it would typically cost to land a pass rusher like Sweat by including Richardson in the package.
If including Richardson helps Indy keep their day two selections, that’s a massive win. I also wouldn’t bat an eye if the Colts moved Richardson and a third to get Sweat in return.
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