Anthony Richardson requested a trade from the Colts back in February. The 2023 No. 4 overall pick isn't sure where that wish stands as preseason action is set to get underway.
"I haven't really talked to my agent about that recently, I haven't really talked to anyone about that recently, so I'm not necessarily sure what's going on with that," he said this past weekend, via the Indy Star.
Reports out of Indianapolis training camp don't bode well for Richardson's prospects of winning the backup job behind starter Daniel Jones. Head coach Shane Steichen said Sunday that Richardson and Riley Leonard would split snaps in Thursday’s preseason kickoff against the New England Patriots, but who will start the game has not yet been decided.
According to reporters, neither Richardson nor Leonard has run away with the backup job, but Richardson has been the more inconsistent. Particularly, the former first-rounder has struggled catching shotgun snaps. The 24-year-old partially blamed the rotating centers for the snap issues -- even though Leonard hasn't experienced those.
"It's been good switching out reps with the twos and the threes, and you get different centers out there, and (the coaches) are trying to figure out who's going to be the backup," Richardson said. "I'm just getting different landmarks on the snaps with different guys and focusing on getting the snap to me and securing the catch before I start processing the play downfield."
Richardson, who hasn't seen the field since mop-up duty on Oct. 5 last season, fractured the orbital bone in his right eye in a freak accident last year. The QB insisted that his vision isn't the reason behind the botched snaps.
Steichen said Richardson's snap struggles are a "concentration" issue. The coach needs to see more from the QB during preseason action.
"Just getting the snaps, seeing it in, and go from there," Steichen said. "The guy that's going to be the most consistent is going to win that job.
"Those guys are battling. It's back-and-forth right now. Obviously, we will grade the tape, go through it and get better every day. I think there's been flashes (of good things from both players), but there's got to be work done for sure."
Given Jones' injury history, there is a good chance the Colts backup quarterback will see the field at some point in 2026. That makes the competition between Richardson and Leonard one to keep an eye on this week.
"If that's what the team wants, that's what I want," said Richardson Sunday when asked if he expected to be on the Colts' regular season 53-man roster. "I just want to be able to help the team, and if it's this team, then I thank God for it. I'm just ready to showcase what I can do and be a winning piece to help this team win."
Even if Richardson loses the battle, the Colts could keep him on the roster into the regular season to see if there is any interest in a trade. However, if he continues to struggle with the basics, no team is going to give up an asset in a trade.
