Wild card in Anthony Richardson decision
 

It’s been widely reported, probably reliably, that the Colts haven’t been impressed with what teams have been willing to offer in trade for Richardson. Chris Ballard doesn’t seem willing to hold a fire sale.

Three days after a draft in which a trade was widely expected, I have begun to wonder how much next year’s free agent market and the assignment of compensatory picks is factoring into this. Are they willing to hold onto Richardson with the expectation that he signs a big enough deal to net them something better than they can get in a trade?

This whole situation is kind of dumb to me.

I get why Richardson is seeking the trade. I think it's immature, but that tracks with his other decisions the last few years. He's uncomfortable, he probably thinks nobody believes in him, and I assume he thinks it'll be different somewhere else. I've thought shit like that in my life too, growing up. The grass isn't greener, in my experience it's more about what's inside of you.

The football world has said over and over that he needed to sit behind a guy and learn. We were supposed to know he was a significant project and protect him. There's some legitimacy to that, we also had a different set of urgency - something had to change. I empathize with Ballard and the organization like I did with Manning. They took a shot, it hasn't worked out as well as we hoped it would.

Well, here's his opportunity to sit behind a guy and learn. There's zero pressure, he can't play worse, and his value for us right now is higher than anyone else I imagine.

I wouldn't trade him unless my socks were knocked off and I suspect that's exactly how Ballard feels. What I don't get it why Richardson's camp doesn't look at this like the absolutely great opportunity it is. You get to compete with a glass QB, with a shaky at best career, that's coming off of a broken leg and torn Achilles. The FO is already playing that bullshit game of "He'll be ready week 1" and even if he is, what are the actual odds he makes it through the entire year?

Even if his future is not in Indianapolis, he's playing in a scheme he's known for years, with players he's known for years, and has an opportunity to put up tape for his next destination. Maybe he can get someone to pay him and offer him a starting position.