Colts unlikely to trade Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson didn't have the smoothest start to his NFL career. After a recent move in favor of a veteran backup Joe FlaccoMany teams have reportedly reached out to Indianapolis in hopes of acquiring the 22-year-old passer. According to FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz, “a trade is considered unlikely.”

There are several factors that contributed to Richardson being benched. The league's low pass completion rates when not pressured, under pressure, not blitzed, blitzed, and facing open targets have raised many questions about his ability as a passer. Additionally, concerns about his medical history continued at the draft after he missed all but four games in his rookie season and missed two games this year due to injury.

The Colts' decision to move forward with Flacco as the team's starter could be for two reasons: they believe Flacco gives them the best chance to win games this year, or they didn't want to force Richardson to continue airing his struggles on national television transmitted. Regardless, admitting to foregoing the game last week due to fatigue was viewed as the “final straw” for the Colts, ultimately forcing Richardson to the bench.

While protecting a quarterback's feelings may seem like an unsatisfying argument, it's something we've seen before in the NFL. With rookies, franchises want to build confidence in their young passers by giving them early snaps to familiarize them with the speed of the pro game. Sometimes when a young quarterback is struggling in a game and the team is bad, we see the replacement come. This is to keep the younger passer healthy while protecting his confidence from being destroyed by a team that has already defeated the better of him.

Similarly, some experts, like CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, claim that the Colts could protect Richardson from a potentially disastrous matchup with the Vikings on the national stage tonight on Sunday Night Football. If they really don't want to give up on Richardson as the future leader of their franchise, they may have a vested interest in keeping his confidence high by avoiding tough matchups.

It also appears that the Colts haven't given up on Richardson's long-term development. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, in a meeting with team executives, Richardson was given examples such as: Jordan love And Alex Smith – Quarterbacks who found their way into the NFL after years. His team didn't give up on him as offensive and defensive captain and guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest BucknerAccording to ESPN's Stephen Holder, both expressed the view that the locker room believes in Richardson's continued development.

Across the league, many other team managers are questioning the Colts' decision-making. Some say in retrospect that the right decision would have been to keep Richardson on the bench as a rookie, not force him onto the field and allow him to develop off the bench, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Others point out that while playing Flacco currently offers a better chance of winning, benching Richardson is short-sighted when considering future seasons.

This appears to be a microcosm of a larger problem in the NFL with quarterback development. Together with Bryce Young In Carolina, Richardson is the second top quarterback in the 2023 draft to be benched for a seasoned veteran this season. Especially as experienced quarterbacks who faltered early in their careers Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, Baker Mayfieldand even Justin FieldsAs we find success with more appropriate systems after years of development, we're starting to see a return in the NFL to the idea that perhaps it's best for rookies to sit and learn.

That appears to be the intention in Indianapolis for now. The grizzled veteran Flacco will take over the leadership of the offense this evening. Richardson will have the opportunity to get fully healthy while watching and learning from a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has worked with five different teams in his career. This move to the bench should not be seen as the end of Richardson's chance as a starter. Many believe he will eventually take his spot again with a first-team attack under center, and there are still some who believe that will be the case in Indianapolis.