A pair of blockbuster trades to open up June jump-started the NFL’s offseason player carousel. The Cleveland Browns sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles dealt A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots in league-altering moves that saw draft picks and players being exchanged with a feverish fervor.
So now that the proverbial ice has been broken, what are the next major moves among the NFL’s 32 professional franchises? USA TODAY Sports’ Nick Brinkerhoff took a look at some of the players around the league who could be involved in the next trade call. His short list included former Florida Gators standout quarterback Anthony Richardson, whose time appears to be up with the Indianapolis Colts.
“Richardson was given permission to seek a trade earlier this offseason, but nothing has come to fruition,” Brinkerhoff begins. “The 24-year-old quarterback is an interesting candidate on the market, given that he has all the tools to be successful in the NFL. However, the results haven’t matched that and Richardson lost his starting job to Daniel Jones last offseason.”
The Gainesville, Florida, native saw the fifth-year option on his rookie contract declined by the Colts back at the beginning of May, signalling the imminence of his departure from Indianapolis.
“The quarterback appears best suited for a fresh start in the hopes that a new set of eyes could be better for his development. It wouldn’t be the first time that a young quarterback went on to have a better career for a different team. Richardson might not be the next Sam Darnold or Geno Smith, but someone might want to find out — especially if an untimely injury shakes up the depth chart before Week 1.”
However, it is not a given that Richardson will be traded before the opening kickoff of the 2026-27 campaign. Despite skipping the team’s voluntary offseason workouts, general manager Chris Ballard recently noted that he could remain with the franchise that made a leap of faith on his raw talents coming out of college.
“There’s definitely a scenario there,” Ballard said in March. “He’s a good dude, and he’s talented. I still want good for Anthony. I still think he’s got a lot in him.”
Richardson appeared in just four games during his rookie season, completing 59.5% of his passing attempts for 577 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception, while adding 136 yards and four scores on 25 rushing attempts. He was named the starter out of camp, but lost his QB1 designation due to injuries after Week 5 to Gardner Minshew, who lined up under center for the remainder of the schedule.
Over 11 games in 2024, Richardson completed just 47.4% of his passes for 1,814 yards and tossed 12 interceptions against eight touchdowns through the air, while grinding out 499 yards and six touchdowns on the ground on 86 rushing attempts. He finished tied at 25th for the NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year Award with one fifth-place vote.
Last season, Richardson missed a significant portion of the offseason due to an aggravated joint in his throwing shoulder, followed by an orbital bone fracture sustained during pregame warm-ups in Week 6. He appeared in just two games in which he completed just one of two passing attempts for 31 yards while finishing with minus-1 yard on four attempts on the ground.
In 17 appearances over three seasons, Richardson completed 50.6% of his attempts for 2,400 yards with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while rushing 115 times for 634 yards and 10 touchdowns.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Former Gator Anthony Richardson could be the next on NFL trade block
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
