Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson may have been the one player at the NFL Scouting Combine who earned himself the most money with his performance. His movements and measurables had the scouts in Indianapolis falling all over themselves and he’s guaranteed himself a prime spot at the table during the 2023 Draft.
The 6’4″, 230-pound gunslinger wowed everyone by posting the best strength and speed statistics ever at his position and surprised many observers with his accuracy. While once considered somewhere around the third or fourth-best quarterback prospect heading into the offseason, there are many who feel he could go higher. Maybe even as high as the number one overall pick. That is, of course, if the Chicago Bears choose to trade it, which they are likely to do.
Richardson is a dual threat, with the only knocks on him being that he only had one full season as a full-time starter in college. He declared for the draft as a junior, following a 6-6 season for the Gators.
Having said that, it’s almost certain that he will be selected in the first five picks of the 2023 draft. It will likely be an organization that’s looking for a future franchise player and will move up in the NFL Draft to grab him. So, here’s a look at four teams that could trade up to take Anthony Richardson.
3 Teams Who Could Trade Up for Anthony Richardson
#1 – The Atlanta Falcons could give their fans a reason to be excited again
Since their collapse against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, it’s as if there’s been nothing but a downhill spiral going on for the Falcons. With Matt Ryan‘s tenure with the team far in the rear-view mirror, they have turned to Marcus Mariota as a temporary answer.
The former Heisman winner has now proven time and again that he’s not a winning solution as a starter in the NFL, although he didn’t have much help around him last year anyway.
The team comes into the 2023 NFL Draft with the number eight pick following a 2022 season that saw them finish 7-10 and last in the NFC South. Even at that lofty of a position, they might still have to surrender both it and another number one to move up for the Florida quarterback.
Richardson represents a lot for Atlanta if they were able to acquire him. Not only an opportunity to win for years to come but a chance to get the fanbase excited again right now. The Dirty Bird devotees deserve a reason for their devotion. Richardson would be a ray of hope that things might start turning in the right direction in the ATL.
#2 – Tampa Bay could be a great landing spot for the Florida native
It’s pretty clear that the boys by The Bay are in for a bit of a rebuilding process. With the Tom Brady era now over, and the excitement of his magic aura gone from the air, it’s time to start over. And that will start with finding the next great Buccaneer baller.
For Richardson, Tampa would be a perfect fit. He’s already a renowned player in the area, and the warm weather there also seems to suit his wide-open style of attack. It would be very conceivable to see Richardson evolve into the kind of quarterback that the Bucs thought they were getting in Jameis Winston almost ten years ago. (And a bit ironic, too. Considering one played at Florida and the other at rival Florida State)
With Tampa Bay already having a rich tradition of making the postseason, and two Super Bowl titles in the team’s trophy case, Richardson could represent a new era. The franchise is well-established and would give him good footing to start his NFL career.
Positioning is a problem, however. The Bucs are currently sitting at the number 19 overall selection in the first round. They would likely have to surrender that pick, as well as two more future firsts, to get high enough to get Richardson.
#3 – Las Vegas might gamble on another talented quarterback from the SEC
Richardson’s size and power are reminiscent of another former SEC standout, LSU’s JaMarcus Russell, who turned out to be a colossal bust for the Raiders. With little or no work ethic and a huge appetite, the former first-overall pick was a washout in a short NFL stint.
Anthony Richardson doesn’t seem to have those problems, though, as he’s definitely in the best shape of any scouting combine signal-caller that we’ve ever seen. With the Raiders shipping off Derek Carr this offseason and now seemingly out of the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes, they may look to go younger at the position.
If he plays anywhere near as impressively in live action as he does when it’s all simulated, he will go on to multiple Pro Bowls and possibly even bring a Super Bowl trophy to Sin City. But, as we have also seen before, the Raiders franchise seems to have had pretty bad luck with high-profile picks in the past. So, ‘bad luck’ (if you believe in it) could always come into play.
Having said that, Las Vegas is definitely in play, with Josh McDaniels reportedly intrigued by the Florida phenom. And they are certainly in the best position to make a move up if they have to. The team holds the seventh overall pick and has nine total this year. They also have a front office that’s been known to be aggressive. So, don’t be shocked if you see Anthony Richardson decked out in Silver & Black next year.
Main Image: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY
