Colts Decline Richardson's Option, Backup Battle Ensues

0:00On April 30, the Indianapolis Colt have declined the fifth year option on quarterback Anthony Richardson. Drafted fourth overall out of Florida, in the 2023 NFL Draft, he's now locked into the final year of his rookie contract, this 20. 26 season before hitting unrestricted free agency next stop season. This call was no shocker after weeks of buzz. Richardson's tenure has been rocked by injuries they kept him off the field too much, plus spotty play when he did suit up flashes of brilliance mixed, with misses on accuracy and reads. The team never handed him the keys fully. He split reps with Gardner Menshu as a rookie, Joe Flacco the next year, and last season Daniel Jones took the wheel outright, leaving everyone, questioning his fit. No surprise, they passed on the massive price tag for a top five picks option. They even floated trade talks, but the league showed zero interest, highlighting how his ups and downs have cooled any hype. Heading into camp at 25, Richardson's scrapping with Riley Leonard for backup duties behind Jones, if Jones holds up.

1:04A strong year could flip the script on his market, but the clock's ticking loud.