Former Florida Gators Star Named Depressing NFL Trade Candidate

It hasn't been easy for former Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson ever since being selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Likened to Cam Newton because of his unique blend of size and athleticism, Richardson was hailed for his sky-high potential heading on to the professional level. And during his rookie campaign, he showed flashes of it.

Due to injuries, however, Richardson was unable to stay on the field in Year 1, and after an abysmal 2024 campaign, the 23-year-old lost his starting job to Daniel Jones going into this past season.

But now, even with Jones having suffered a torn Achilles and hitting free agency, Richardson's future with the Colts still seems bleak.

In fact, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus has listed Richardson as one of the top 15 trade candidates in the NFL this offseason.

"The Colts will likely want to secure at least some viable depth behind Jones coming off of a significant injury, which could convince them to retain Richardson. But it also wouldn’t be surprising to teams take a swing on the 23-year-old, especially given his raw talent and the recent wave of first-round reclamation projects under center," Locker wrote.

Richardson spent three seasons at Florida between 2020 and 2022, and while he displayed tremendous talent, problems clearly existed.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound signal-caller completed just 54.7 percent of his passes with the Gators, totaling 24 passing touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Yes, he racked up 1,116 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground in 24 games, but it was blatantly obvious he was very raw as a passer.

Richardson has not cleaned that up in the NFL, either. He completed a pitiful 47.7 percent of his throws in 2024, and overall, he has registered a completion percentage of 50.6 percent.

There are still surely some teams that would love to take a chance on Richardson because of his natural ability, but at this point, his trade value is fairly low.

Indianapolis might be able to land a third-round pick from a quarterback-needy team or a club that just wants a backup it can groom, but will that be enough for the Colts to pull the trigger?

Considering Indianapolis is likely to decline Richardson's club option for 2027, it might actually be best for the Colts to just move him now and recoup some value while they still can.

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