Anthony Richardson was the Indianapolis Colts’ highest draft pick at No. 4 since Andrew Luck went at No. 1 in 2012. The quarterback, however, has not lived up to the top-five prospect hype, largely due to injuries and inconsistency in the games he has started. That is exactly why, when Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon spoke to the media for the first time at the owners’ meeting her response on Richardson felt less like a long-term commitment and more like his time in Indy could be running out.

“(General manager Chris Ballard) can probably speak more to that, but I think Anthony, I’m proud of the way he’s handled himself. … He’s so immensely talented, and I feel like the world is his oyster,” Irsay-Gordon said. “He totally has an opportunity to have a career in the NFL if he wants to. I just feel so bad that he’s getting the short end of the stick (with injuries).”

That answer did not shut the door, but it did not exactly reinforce it either. And as Irsay-Gordon’s comments surfaced, The Athletic’s James Boyd added another layer. When asked directly whether the Colts would consider trading Richardson ahead of the 2026 season, Irsay-Gordon avoided giving a definitive answer. It is not surprising but according to Boyd, the tone said enough.

“But her response, in my opinion, reaffirmed that Richardson simply hasn’t worked out in Indy, and a change of scenery is likely a formality,” Boyd wrote.

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That lines up with how things have been trending for a while now. Just over a month ago, Richardson himself requested a trade. His representatives met with the Colts, and both sides reportedly agreed that a “fresh start” might be the best path forward after the last three seasons.

And when you revisit those three years, it is not hard to see why. Drafted No. 4 overall in 2023, Richardson entered the league with sky-high expectations. But his rookie season was cut short almost immediately with a concussion in Week 2, missed time in Week 3, a brief return, and then a season-ending Grade 3 AC joint sprain in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans.

Year two did not stabilize things either. He started the season, then voluntarily stepped out mid-game for a play in Week 8, saying he “needed a breather.” The Colts benched him the following week in favor of Joe Flacco. Even after regaining the starting role, he missed the final two games with a back injury.

Then came last season, which only pushed things further in the same direction. Richardson lost the starting job to Daniel Jones and eventually landed on injured reserve after suffering an orbital fracture during pregame warmups.

Across three seasons, the numbers tell a similar story. Just 17 games played, 15 starts, an 8-7 record, 2,400 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He had a 50.6 completion percentage and only one game above 65 percent completion. The flashes are there, especially as a runner with 634 yards and 10 touchdowns, but the consistency never followed.

Now, even though his representatives say he has fully recovered from the eye injury, the direction feels clear. Both sides appear to be aligned on the idea of a reset. And amid all this, ESPN’s Stephen Holder named the Green Bay Packers as one of the teams to monitor as a potential destination for Richardson.

“Update on Colts QB Anthony Richardson, who is available via trade,” wrote Holder on X. “No deal is imminent, per multiple sources. There are interested teams, but the dust is still settling from free agency. One particular team to monitor: the Green Bay Packers.”

And when you factor in Irsay-Gordon’s comments along with the Colts leaning toward Daniel Jones in 2026, it does not feel like a question of if anymore. It feels like a matter of when.

Carlie Irsay-Gordon believes that Daniel Jones is going to do all the right things

The Colts pulled off a bargain when they signed Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million deal last year, a move that worked in favor of both sides. The Colts got stability at quarterback amid Anthony Richardson’s ongoing injury concerns, while Jones got the fresh start he was looking for.

The only issue, however, was how it ended. Despite a strong start, Indy missed the playoffs, largely because Jones went down with a season-ending injury. Now, with him expected to start in 2026, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has made it clear she believes he will deliver.

“Obviously, the human body is a mystery and everything points to his rehab going great, everything went well. And he’s gonna do all of the right things, so I’m really convicted that he’s gonna be (good),” she said. “It’s sort of like last year, before we kind of faced some adversity and went downhill, it’s like we pressed pause on a movie and now we’re pressing play, and we get to see what happens at the end, which I think is gonna be a really cool thing.”

The optimism is valid based on how Jones performed last season. Before the injury, the quarterback led the Colts to a 7-1 start, with the offense averaging 3.17 points per drive, the fourth-highest mark by any team through its first 10 games this century.

Individually, he backed that up with 19 touchdown passes, eight interceptions, five rushing scores, and a 101.6 passer rating. That level of play ultimately convinced the franchise to commit further, extending him on a two-year, $88 million deal. But for Irsay-Gordon, what stood out the most was the chemistry between Jones and his head coach, Shane Steichen.

“That chemistry that a quarterback needs to have with their head coach,” she said. “I don’t want to name any names, but there are situations where your head coach doesn’t believe in your quarterback; I mean, you’re kind of screwed. I think Shane and Daniel really align.”

So the plan heading into 2026 is pretty clear. Jones is the guy, and the expectation is that he can pick up where he left off. But there is still one variable that hangs over everything. He is coming off a significant injury.

And that is where this whole situation becomes less certain. The framework is there, the belief is there, and even the production was there for a stretch. But if there is anything that can disrupt what looks like a clean continuation, it is how Jones responds once he is back on the field.