2023 NFL offseason: Pairing quarterbacks with the best possible situations

5. The Washington Commanders should draft Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson is an athletic, big-arm quarterback who is well-equipped to succeed as a quarterback at the next level, especially with the Washington Commanders, under head coach Ron Rivera. For starters, Rivera has a history of making life easier for his quarterbacks and is known for being a defensive-oriented coach who trusts his offensive coordinators to develop his QBs.

The Commanders will utilize a run-heavy offense that emphasizes the middle of the field. Richardson, who has been known to struggle with accuracy in the short to intermediate range, will benefit from this style of play. With running backs Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson – one of the best receiving backs in the NFL – leading the way, Richardson will have plenty of support in the ground game.

Rivera’s teams also employ a lot of play-action, which plays to Richardson’s strengths. Richardson’s deep ball is his strongest asset as a passer, and he will have the opportunity to utilize it to make big plays off play-action. This will open up the field for him and give him the weapons to succeed, with Terry McLaurin leading the way as one of the league’s top wideouts, supported by Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson.

Given his running ability, strong arm, and athleticism, there’s no doubt that Richardson has the physical skills to be a successful quarterback. Coupled with the strong team and coaching staff in Washington, he has the potential to find early success with the Commanders. No. 16 isn’t an unrealistic spot for Richardson, but Commanders may want to jump up to grab him.