2026 career – Anthony Richardson’s path with the Colts enters a reset phase, with 2026 framed as a fresh chance after setbacks and contract realities.
Anthony Richardson’s situation with the Colts is starting to look less like a stalled experiment and more like a deliberate reset, with 2026 now carrying extra weight for his career.
Three years after Indianapolis took a swing on Richardson with the fourth overall pick. his NFL journey has clearly entered a new phase.. The quarterback, it was noted, seems to be leaning into that shift.. After skipping the first two weeks of the offseason program. Richardson returned and has appeared fully engaged with the team’s work.
The backdrop for this new mindset is difficult.. Richardson was thrust into action as a rookie before he was ready. then faced turbulence in his second season after being benched.. When the third season arrived, he was dropped to No.. 2 behind Daniel Jones during training camp. and the momentum was further disrupted by a freak accident that produced a fractured orbital bone and temporary vision loss.. That injury effectively erased his opportunity to recover and make a meaningful run during the same period. particularly after Jones suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Because of those twists, both sides appeared to have reasons to want a change of scenery. Yet a trade never materialized before or during the draft, leaving Richardson in place with the Colts as the story moves forward.
Under the contract structure, the Colts also have little incentive to move Richardson immediately.. With a fully guaranteed compensation package worth $5.69 million in 2026. the team reportedly has no compelling financial reason to cut him and still pay nearly all of the money tied to his experience.. Cutting Richardson would require a payout of $1.145 million beyond the minimum. a cost the team can avoid only if circumstances change.. As discussed. a single injury could create an opening for a trade. potentially allowing the Colts to reduce what they owe and. at the same time. receive a mid-to-low-round draft pick.
For Richardson. the logic is straightforward: if the starting role is not his right now. preparing for the moment it becomes available is the best way to protect the future.. The report laid out a clear possibility of competition in the short term. with Richardson positioned to challenge for the backup job over Riley Leonard.. Winning that role would matter because it keeps him closest to the field and ready to respond quickly if opportunity arrives.
In that same framework. the report pointed to Daniel Jones’ injury history as a key reason why Richardson could eventually get another real chance.. Jones has managed to play a full season only once in his seven-year career.. With that in mind. the expectation is that circumstances could force a change at any time. giving Richardson an opening to step into meaningful action.
With free agency looming for Richardson next March, this season can become a staging ground for a second act.. Even if he is not the starter. the emphasis would be on working. developing. and positioning himself so that when a chance appears. he can seize it rather than scrambling to catch up.. That shift in preparation, the report argued, could reshape how 2026 is viewed for him.
No matter how the rest of the process unfolds. this year is being framed as a reset for Richardson rather than a continuation of the same frustrations.. He is not competing to become the starter in the present moment. and he is not expected to carry the top job.. Instead. his task is to focus on readiness and growth. so his opportunity—however sudden it may be—does not slip away.
Anthony Richardson Indianapolis Colts Daniel Jones quarterback competition NFL offseason program 2026 career reset