Mutual interest ignites! Vikings reportedly eye Colts' Anthony Richardson in a surprising trade scenario, adding a high-potential, yet injury-prone, quarterback to their lineup.
The Minnesota Vikings hunt for a quarterback added another option this week. We learned that there is reportedly "mutual interest" between the Colts and the Vikings in a potential trade of Indianapolis quarterback Anthony Richardson according to ESPN's Stephen Holder.
The move would certainly command some attention. Richardson, the former high NFL draft pick has flashed brilliance in his short stint in the league but appears to be on his way out of the starting lineup thanks to the emergence of Colts quarterback Daniel Jones.
Mike Moraitis of The Sporting News discussed the potential move to add Richardson. He wrote the following of the Vikings' pursuit of Richardson and other quarterbacks.
"The expectation is the Vikings are looking for a veteran quarterback to compete with McCarthy, but there's also a chance they replace him entirely.
If the latter happens, the Vikings could turn around and trade McCarthy, in which case it would make more sense to go after Richardson.
Simply acquiring Richardson to compete with McCarthy wouldn't be good enough, as the former No. 4 overall pick has been downright bad over his three seasons in the NFL. Adding to that, injuries have also been a major issue for Richardson.
Richardson is a reclamation project, plain and simple, and shouldn't be depended upon as a possible starting option in 2026."
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) watches the action on the field from the sideline Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Grace Hollars/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesRichardson would presumably not be the Vikings' first choice even if the Vikings would be a desirable destination for the Colts quarterback. Ideally, the Vikings add a proven starter caliber player, if not one that has shown flashes of starter level performance. Some would push back on that notion given Minnesota's recent quarterback success stories.
Some Vikings fans would like to add another Sam Darnold, who led the team to a 14-3 season a year before last, only to win the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks this past season. Darnold, of course, was not a proven starting caliber player to some when the Vikings signed him. That said, he certainly flashed starting quarterback ability.
Despite what the Vikings may want, it's also fair to discuss what is reasonable for the team. A trade for Richardson may not be the top pick, but it's one Minnesota can fall back on if other options do not come to fruition. That said, it's hard to say adding Richardson is much different than simply building around current starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
We'll see what the Vikings' next step will be in their quarterback search.