To say Anthony Richardson hasn't had the ideal start to his NFL career would be a massive understatement. Despite limited action at the college level, the Indianapolis Colts took a huge swing on Richardson's immense talent with the 4th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and that risk backfired badly.
Richardson has had three injury-plagued seasons, and for a player who needs reps, the lack of time on task has compounded the issue. He's looked raw when he's gotten the chance to play, even though there have been flashes.
Entering a contract year in 2026, it appears the Colts are poised to ship Richardson off to his next NFL destination and give him a chance to thrive elsewhere. While the majority of folks might immediately look at situations that need a starter around the league, there is one opening for a backup job that would actually be the ideal landing spot for Richardson.
Green Bay Packers could be the ideal landing spot for Anthony Richardson in 2026
Although the Colts will be working to get the best deal for themselves, they should also be working to "do right" by the player here and get Richardson to a spot that makes sense for his development.
And after the last couple of years, I'm not sure there's a more sensible landing spot for him than Green Bay with the Packers.
Two years ago, the Packers made a trade that went under the radar, sending a late pick to the Titans in exchange for Malik Willis. At that point in time, it looked like Willis was a lost cause as an NFL quarterback, but the Packers saw an opportunity.
Willis not only came in and did a great job as the backup quarterback to Jordan Love, but he's now positioned himself to get a contract in NFL free agency worth upwards of $35 million per season. That is a staggering difference in value based on the fact that he was traded to the Packers for a 7th-round pick at one point.
Richardson's agent -- Deiric Jackson -- should be seeing what is going on with Willis and working to get his client to the Packers ASAP.
Matt LaFleur helped get Willis's career back on track, and he put him in positions that amplified his skills as opposed to highlighting his weaknesses. It doesn't look like Richardson is going to be an overnight fix, but the opportunity to work with LaFleur right now feels like it would be maybe his clearest path to long-term success.
Under LaFleur, Aaron Rodgers signed a $150 million ($50M AAV) contract. Jordan Love has received $233.5M in total money. Now Willis has a chance to sign a contract worth over $100 million. Just purely looking at the amount of money that's being handed out to quarterbacks who are playing under LaFleur, it's a no-brainer.
Sitting behind Jordan Love for a year, letting LaFleur and his staff pour into him, could not be a clearer "best-case scenario" for Anthony Richardson in 2026.