Friday was the deadline for NFL groups to train the fifth-year possibility for gamers taken within the first spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft class. Whereas many of the gamers from that class had their fifth-year choices picked up, a couple of groups made the choice to say no that chance. The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the crucial outstanding, declining to exercise the fifth-year option on quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Which means he’s now scheduled to grow to be an unrestricted free agent following the 2026 season.
Had the Colts exercised the choice, it might have assured him a $22 million wage for the 2027 season.
Colts decline fifth-year possibility on quarterback Anthony Richardson
Richardson, the No. 4 total choose within the 2023 class, is the best choose from that 12 months to not have their fifth-year possibility picked up, and it’s one other signal that his time with the franchise is probably going coming to an finish.
The Colts have been hoping that he might be their subsequent franchise quarterback, however it by no means labored out for quite a lot of causes.
One of many greatest was the straightforward proven fact that he has had a horrible time staying on the sphere, coping with vital accidents all through the primary three years of his profession. He performs with a fearless mindset with regards to working the ball, and has not all the time achieved a very good job defending himself. The Colts additionally did a depressing job defending him by not placing a ok offensive line in entrance of him.
These two issues have resulted in him taking an absolute beating on the sphere.
When he has been wholesome, he has struggled with consistency and accuracy within the passing recreation. There isn’t any denying his arm expertise and working capability, and he has flashed some indicators of big-play capability. He has delivered a number of the most eye-popping throws within the NFL over the previous couple of years and has hit a number of massive performs that solely a small variety of quarterbacks could make. However he has but to develop the consistency with hitting the mid-level and shorter throws that quarterbacks must persistently make.
The query now turns into what the Colts will do with him for this season. Richardson requested a commerce in February and obtained permission to talk with different groups to attempt to facilitate a commerce, however nothing has come collectively.
He’s nonetheless younger sufficient that anyone is likely to be prepared to gamble on the expertise and see if they’ll unlock one thing the Colts couldn’t. There are many examples of younger quarterbacks who failed in unhealthy conditions and excelled with a contemporary begin elsewhere. It solely takes one workforce to be prepared to take that likelihood.
