Anthony Richardson Named Colts Backup Quarterback: What Comes Next for the Former No. 4 Pick?

Anthony Richardson entered the offseason hoping to leave Indianapolis.

Instead, he will begin the season one play away from getting the Colts’ offense back.

Head coach Shane Steichen officially named Richardson the team’s backup quarterback Thursday, placing the former No. 4 overall pick behind Daniel Jones and ahead of second-year quarterback Riley Leonard. Richardson and Leonard split reserve-team repetitions throughout the summer before Richardson secured the No. 2 job with a steadier preseason.

It is not the role Indianapolis once envisioned for Richardson.

But considering where his standing appeared to be six months ago, winning the backup job represents meaningful progress.

The bigger question is what comes next.

Richardson Earned Something He Wasn’t Guaranteed

Richardson did not enter training camp as the automatic backup.

The Colts made him compete for it.

He and Leonard divided second- and third-team work during camp, then received extensive playing time across Indianapolis’ three preseason games. Richardson finished the exhibition schedule completing 21 of 33 passes for 249 yards. He also showed flashes of the rushing ability that once made him one of the NFL’s most intriguing quarterback prospects.

The performance was not dominant enough to reignite a starting controversy.

It was good enough to establish a clear hierarchy.

Jones is QB1. Richardson is QB2. Leonard is QB3.

That matters because Richardson spent parts of the summer facing the possibility of falling to third on the depth chart—or being moved if Indianapolis found an acceptable trade.

Instead, he earned the position that gives him the most realistic path back onto an NFL field.

How Did Anthony Richardson Get Here?

Indianapolis selected Richardson fourth overall in 2023 because of an exceptionally rare physical profile.

He had the size of a power runner, elite athleticism and one of the strongest arms in the draft. The Colts accepted that his passing game needed development because the ceiling appeared worth the risk.

The problem is that Richardson has rarely remained healthy long enough for that development to happen.

Through his first three seasons, he made only 15 regular-season starts. He completed 50.6 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while adding 634 rushing yards and 10 scores. He went 8-7 as a starter.

His 2025 season ended after a freak pregame accident left him with a fractured orbital bone. By that point, Jones had already won the starting job and helped Indianapolis begin the season 8-2 before eventually suffering a torn Achilles.

Richardson’s career has therefore produced the same frustrating cycle repeatedly:

Brief flashes.

An injury.

Rehabilitation.

Another attempt to restart the developmental process.

At some point, potential needs sustained playing time. Richardson has never received enough of it to produce a definitive evaluation—but he also has not played consistently enough to demand that Indianapolis keep waiting.

Daniel Jones Is Clearly the Colts’ Starter

There is no open quarterback competition in Indianapolis.

The Colts made their commitment to Jones clear during the offseason by signing him to a two-year, $88 million contract that can reach $100 million through incentives. The deal keeps him under contract through the 2027 season.

Jones earned that commitment after completing 68 percent of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 13 starts last season. He posted a career-best 100.2 passer rating before the Achilles injury ended his year.

That contract significantly narrows Richardson’s path to becoming Indianapolis’ long-term starter.

Even if Jones has an uneven opening month, the Colts are unlikely to make an impulsive change after investing that heavily in him. Richardson’s opportunity would most likely come because of an injury or a prolonged collapse—not because of one bad Sunday.

The job Richardson won is important.

It just is not an audition that automatically comes with playing time.

What Happened to Richardson’s Trade Request?

Richardson and his representatives requested a trade in February, and Indianapolis granted them permission to explore potential destinations. The Colts had already decided to build around Jones, leaving Richardson to seek a clearer path toward starting elsewhere.

No acceptable deal materialized.

Richardson returned to the Colts, participated throughout the offseason and competed for the backup job. Indianapolis has consistently praised the way he handled the situation, even while the trade request technically remained unresolved.

After being named QB2, Richardson said he was grateful the organization still believed in him and emphasized that his attention was on helping the Colts. He also indicated that he was no longer actively thinking about the trade request.

That does not necessarily mean the desire to start elsewhere has disappeared.

It means Richardson understands his present reality.

He is under contract with Indianapolis.

The Colts need a capable backup.

And his best way to create another opportunity is to play well whenever he is given one.

Why Keeping Richardson Makes Sense for Indianapolis

The Colts could have accepted a modest return simply to resolve an uncomfortable situation.

Keeping him was smarter.

Jones is returning from a torn Achilles. Even though he took nearly every first-team repetition during training camp, quarterback insurance is particularly valuable behind a starter coming off a major lower-body injury.

Richardson also offers more immediate upside than the typical backup.

He has starting experience.

He understands Steichen’s system.

His rushing ability can keep an offense functional even when the passing game is inconsistent.

Indianapolis would have to adjust parts of its offense if Richardson entered a game, but it would not be starting from scratch.

The Colts are also opening against Baltimore before traveling to Kansas City in Week 2. That is not a forgiving beginning for any quarterback, much less an inexperienced reserve forced into emergency duty.

For a team trying to return to the playoffs, Richardson is more valuable as its insurance policy than as a late-round trade return.

Could a Trade Still Happen?

It remains possible.

Quarterback markets change quickly once the regular season begins. One significant injury elsewhere could leave a contender searching for someone with starting experience and developmental upside.

Richardson would immediately become one of the more intriguing available options.

But Indianapolis has little reason to move him cheaply.

The Colts know Jones’ health history. They know Richardson can operate the offense. They also know that Leonard is still developing and has limited NFL experience.

Any team calling about Richardson would therefore have to compensate Indianapolis for losing a legitimate QB2—not merely rescue the Colts from an unwanted contract.

That makes a trade less likely unless another team becomes genuinely desperate.

His Contract Makes 2026 a Defining Season

Indianapolis declined Richardson’s fifth-year option during the offseason, meaning he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season.

That creates an unusual challenge.

Richardson needs to prove he can develop into a starting quarterback.

But if Jones stays healthy, Richardson may spend most of the season watching.

His evaluation could therefore depend on preseason film, practice development and whatever limited regular-season opportunities become available.

If he gets onto the field and plays well, Richardson could revive his market quickly. Quarterback-needy teams will always be interested in a 24-year-old with elite physical tools.

If he does not play—or plays poorly—the former first-round pick may enter free agency looking for another developmental opportunity rather than a legitimate starting competition.

Wilson’s Read

Winning the backup job is a victory for Richardson.

It just is not a resolution.

He prevented his standing from falling further. He showed Indianapolis that he remained engaged after requesting a trade. He beat Leonard in a real competition and placed himself directly behind a starter returning from a significant injury.

That gives Richardson a chance.

It does not guarantee him one.

His long-term future probably is not in Indianapolis. Jones’ contract and the declined fifth-year option point in a different direction.

But Richardson’s NFL future remains undecided.

A few strong starts could change the way the league views him.

Another injury could provide the opportunity he has been waiting for.

A season spent entirely on the sideline could leave evaluators with the same questions they had when Indianapolis drafted him.

Richardson began the offseason trying to find a new team.

He begins the regular season still with the Colts—but in a stronger position than he occupied a month ago.

He is no longer fighting to remain relevant on the depth chart. He is now waiting for the chance to prove he belongs higher on it.

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