Insiders explain why Colts held onto Anthony Richardson through trade deadline

Some wondered if the Indianapolis Colts could make Anthony Richardson available before the NFL trade deadline expired on Tuesday considering the second-year quarterback has been benched and seemingly won't be leapfrogging veteran Joe Flacco on the depth chart anytime soon. 

The Athletic's James Boyd revealed on Tuesday that the Colts told other teams they "never" thought about moving on from Richardson this fall. 

"Despite Richardson’s struggles in year two and his subsequent demotion, he remains a part of Indianapolis’ future," Boyd explained. 

Multiple injury setbacks limited Richardson to just 10 career regular-season starts before the fourth overall pick of the 2023 draft controversially admitted he tapped himself out of a game because he was "tired." That comment understandably upset individuals within the Colts and seemingly played a big role in Richardson's benching. 

It also didn't help Richardson's cause that he was, statistically speaking, one of the league's worst starting signal-callers of the season. 

"Internally, the Colts have maintained that they still consider Richardson their future and hope to reinstate him as their starter at some point, whether this season or next," ESPN's Stephen Holder shared on Tuesday. Holder added that "multiple teams inquired about" Richardson's availability but learned the 22-year-old "was off-limits."

For a piece published Wednesday morning, ESPN's Dan Graziano mentioned that the Colts "wanted to make it clear they haven't ruled out the possibility that" Richardson could develop into a long-term franchise quarterback with the team that drafted him. That suggests head coach Shane Steichen may simply be waiting for an opportunity to sit Flacco in favor of Richardson. 

Flacco is on track to start when 4-5 Indianapolis hosts the 7-2 Buffalo Bills this coming Sunday. As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Colts as four-point underdogs for that matchup. 

Steichen has insisted since Richardson's benching that Flacco currently gives the Colts the best chance to win games, and a 4-6 team wouldn't be out of the playoff race. With that said, it remains to be seen if Flacco could play poorly enough against Buffalo for Steichen to reverse course and go back to Richardson for Indianapolis' Week 11 contest at the New York Jets.