With the recent news that the Indianapolis Colts are going with Daniel Jones for the starting quarterback job, the LA Rams make the most sense as a trade partner for Anthony Richardson.
The LA Rams Should Trade For Anthony Richardson
Richardson’s time with the Colts could be coming to an end soon. After being drafted by the team in 2023, the Colts have seemed to have pivoted from the Richardson experience after recently naming Jones as the starting quarterback for the season. The Colts signed Jones this offseason to bring in competition for Richardson after he struggled last year with consistent play and injuries with the Colts, and after the spring practices, training camp, and preseason games, Jones won out.
Teams will certainly be calling the Colts to figure out if they could pry Richardson away from the Colts. After all, Richardson is only 23 years old and worth a gamble on as a former top-five pick. One team that should certainly give the Colts a call is the Rams. The Rams have been dealing with quarterback issues of their own due to the health of their veteran quarterback, Matthew Stafford. A back injury has plagued Stafford during training camp, and the Rams have their eyes set on a Super Bowl this season.
For the Rams, Richardson is young enough that the Rams could have him learn behind Stafford, and he could potentially be his successor, with Stafford only having a season or two left in the NFL. Since he is still on his rookie contract, a cost-controlled starting quarterback would be a valuable asset for a team like the Rams.
The current backup to Stafford is Jimmy Garoppolo, who also has had durability concerns of his own, which should motivate the Rams to reach out to the Colts for a potential trade. Not only would a trade be beneficial for the Rams, but it would also be beneficial for Richardson. He could learn from one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, Sean McVay, who has a stellar track record for the work he has done with quarterbacks.
McVay Has Track Record of Developing Quarterbacks
Outside of Stafford, McVay has done great work with quarterbacks such as Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, and Kirk Cousins, all of whom credit him to this day for helping them in their careers. Richardson’s physical tools are rivaled by none in the NFL. He has one of the most athletic profiles for a quarterback in NFL history, according to his RAS (Raw Athletic Score). With the NFL moving towards dynamic quarterbacks with guys like Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, and Josh Allen, McVay will have a chance to craft his offense into the image of the modern NFL quarterback.
Patience is the key with Richardson; he hadn’t played much college football, and coming into the league, scouts knew Richardson would take some time to develop into the quarterback his skillset warrants. However, with the Colts feeling the pressure to win they probably thought taking another risk on Richardson’s development while having a team ready to win now wasn’t smart.
Richardson’s Agent Speaks About Questionable Colts’ Decision
After the news broke about the Colts’ decision to go with Jones, Richardson was supportive of the decision and didn’t make excuses. However, his agent described the relationship between Richardson and the team as “questionable,” which means a trade could be imminent for Richardson. Indianapolis continues to reiterate that it believes in Richardson’s talent and would want to keep him on the roster in case something happens to Jones.
In 2024, Richardson completed only 47 percent of his passes and threw eight touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He has provided some all-time highlight reel plays, but consistency and being healthy have been key for Richardson.
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