Colts plan to keep Richardson, prioritize QB depth
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- Ed Dodds suggested Sunday that the Colts will keep Richardson, explaining the team's philosophy as wanting three quarterbacks who can play and saying, 'I think you take care of your own team first.'
- Anthony Richardson requested a trade in February, and the Colts granted his representative permission to discuss deals with other teams, but no deal materialized, according to GM Chris Ballard.
- Richardson lost a preseason position battle to Daniel Jones last season after being the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, and he reported to offseason workouts after the trade market produced no takers.
- Jones suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in December, and with Richardson already sidelined by an orbital fracture, the Colts convinced Philip Rivers to come out of retirement to start three games.
- Richardson started the Colts' preseason opener Thursday in New England, completing 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards and rushing six times for 53 yards.
Why it matters: The Colts are reversing course after granting Richardson permission to seek a trade, with last year's injury crisis at quarterback — Jones's torn Achilles and Richardson's orbital fracture forcing Rivers out of retirement — directly cited as the reason for maintaining three-capable depth. A failed preseason auction leaves Richardson back in the QB mix, undercutting his leverage and signaling the team's 2023 top-five investment is still in play.
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