Has Anthony Richardson Sr. changed mind about Colts future following big decision?

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. previously elected to stay away from the club for the first two weeks of voluntary workouts amid his desire to be traded. 

However, that changed on Monday when he reported to the Colts for their ongoing workouts. Later in the day, Colts reporter James Boyd of The Athletic addressed what this latest development could mean regarding Richardson's future with the club.

Anthony Richardson Sr. willing to stay with Colts...for now

"Richardson’s trade request has not been rescinded," Boyd wrote, "and he would still like to be dealt to another team, league sources told The Athletic. But as he gets reintegrated with the Colts, he will remain professional and work diligently 'until something changes,' one source said."

Richardson likely understands he doesn't have a ton of options this spring. It's now clear that no team offered the Colts anything of real value for the 23-year-old either before or during the 2026 NFL Draft. The 2023 first-round choice lost the Indianapolis full-time starting gig to Daniel Jones last summer, and 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard is seemingly the favorite to hold the team's QB2 job later this year. 

Why staying with the Colts through the summer could be the best thing for Anthony Richardson Sr.

Indianapolis signed Jones to a two-year, $88M contract that could be worth up to $100M this offseason. That said, it's unclear when he will be able to return from the torn Achilles he suffered this past December. 

"Richardson should have the opportunity to get more reps this spring alongside presumed backup Riley Leonard," Boyd added. 

Richardson missed 17 regular-season games due to injuries over his first two pro campaigns before he suffered an orbital fracture while warming up ahead of a contest last fall. He now has an opportunity to prove during springtime workouts that his vision is back to normal after he needed surgery related to his latest setback. 

Eventually, a team that loses a starting quarterback or a backup to an injury may want to take a flier on Richardson before the trade deadline arrives this fall. The Colts recently declined the fifth-year option attached to Richardson's rookie contract, so he is set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.