Should the Rams Trade for Colts' Anthony Richardson?

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is one of the best pure athletes in the sport at the most important position in the league. However, injuries, major valleys in play, and not enough experience have led to him becoming the backup to Daniel Jones in Indianapolis, firmly placing the coaching staff and front office on the hot seat.

Richardson was the No. 4 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, two selections behind Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud and three behind top selection and Carolina Panthers' Bryce Young. At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, the former Florida Gator has an exceptional arm with a play style and athletic ability not seen since the Panthers drafted Cam Newton in 2011.

With quarterbacks as raw and inexperienced as Richardson was, the risk was understandable, and the Colts have found out the hard way by flunking his development approach, while injuries have not helped in any regard.

Richardson may be done with the Colts, whether he plays again this season or not. That means he'll likely be on the trading block next spring, and there's one team that could benefit from this with a low-risk, high-reward package.

The Rams and McVay seem like the perfect fit for Richardson, or any McVay-Shanahan-principled coach. I wrote back in March why the team could've invested in a young backup passer, though Stetson Bennett has made the case to be that in Los Angeles with his recent play and growth. Nevertheless, Richardson could be the next young signal-caller to be resurrected in the NFL.

While it was only for a portion of the 2022 season, Baker Mayfield was given a second chance with McVay and began thriving before becoming the franchise quarterback in Tampa Bay through Dave Canales and Liam Coen; Sam Darnold got a second chance with a breakout season under Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and earned a three-year deal in free agency with the Seattle Seahawks.

Richardson could be the next one up in this regard. He is too talented to fully give up on and deserves a coach who would know how to formally develop him and find a way to help overcome some of the current deficiencies on the table. Now, would he has the patience is a whole other thing, as he showed with Jared Goff, but the soon-to-be decade-long head coach and play-caller has the perfect system to develop a passer in.

Does it sound cliché and popular to the majority of football fans? Of course, though, it is because it makes too much sense. The key here, however, is if Stafford plays another year or two, and with his latest back issues, that is up in the air at this time.

Time will tell if this comes to fruition, and there should be some doubts about taking on a reclamation such as Richardson. It takes one team to try and make it happen and the Rams could be that team.