The NFL’s 2026 offseason is in full swing as we sit just over one week removed from Super Bowl LX, and not only did the franchise tag window officially open on Tuesday morning, but we already have some trade buzz ahead of the new league year starting next month.
As reported by ESPN’s Stephen Holder, it feels like a trade of Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is coming this offseason.
“Assuming his vision issues are resolved after his freak orbital bone injury, look for him to seek a trade,” wrote Holder on Tuesday. “There has been no request just yet, according to team sources, but it is beginning to feel inevitable.”
Richardson, 23, was drafted by the Colts with the No. 4 pick in 2023 but has struggled to find success ever since. He’s made just 15 starts over three seasons, posting an 8–7 record with 21 total touchdowns against 17 turnovers, and this past summer, lost his starting job to free-agent acquisition Daniel Jones.
Now, with a career reset potentially on the horizon, here are three landing spots for Anthony Richardson that actually make sense.
Los Angeles Rams
While Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is coming off his first career NFL MVP award in 2025, he’s also entering his age-39 season in 2026—and while he’s still clearly capable of playing elite football, he isn’t getting any younger, and the team needs a long-term plan.
L.A. coach Sean McVay is the poster child for offensive gurus in the NFL. Upon being hired by the Rams, he developed Jared Goff—who looked like a bust in his rookie year—into a Super Bowl-level quarterback, and a few seasons later, took the corpse of Baker Mayfield and helped him redirect his career before landing with the Buccaneers long-term.
Perhaps Richardson can be his next reclamation project.
Minnesota Vikings
Speaking of coaches known for helping quarterbacks rewrite the narrative, Kevin O’Connell was caught on a hot mic several years ago giving Richardson some words of encouragement after a Vikings win over the Colts.
“Do me a favor and remember something,” O'Connell said to Richardson. “You're a bad dude. And you're going to play for a long time, in this league. Go to work every day. Good things will happen for you. I still believe in you ...”
Does he still believe in him? Who knows. But with J.J. McCarthy turning in a less-than-desirable season for Minnesota in 2025, it would make sense for the team to bring some competition into the quarterback room.
Washington Commanders
Given that Richardson has played for only one NFL franchise in the Colts, an organization that hasn’t undergone much turnover since he was drafted in 2023, he doesn’t have many connections elsewhere around the league. The one exception? Commanders assistant head coach and offensive pass game coordinator Brian Johnson.
Johnson has taken a winding coaching path over the last decade—including stops at Mississippi State, Houston, the Eagles, and now Washington—and notably crossed paths with Richardson at Florida in 2020, when he was serving as the Gators' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Not only did the Commanders recently part ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and replace him with David Blough, but they're also facing a vacancy at backup quarterback as Marcus Mariota is set to hit free agency.
With a clean slate in the quarterback room (behind Jayden Daniels, of course) and familiarity with Johnson, Richardson’s fit in Washington almost makes too much sense.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Robert Woods Signs One-Day Contract With Rams, Announces NFL Retirement
- Mike Evans Will Play in 2026, But Return to Buccaneers Is Uncertain
- Longtime Bill Belichick Assistant Ernie Adams to Return to Coaching in 2026
- Baker Mayfield on Sam Darnold, Kevin Stefanski and QB Mentality
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Anthony Richardson Trade Destinations That Actually Make Sense.
