Aug 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) attempts a pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts made their decision to start quarterback Daniel Jones this season on Tuesday. The team needs to go ahead and make another decision as soon as possible.

It's time the Colts let quarterback Anthony Richardson get a fresh start elsewhere.

An embattled coaching staff and front office going with the more seasoned hand in Jones isn't a shock. Jones is who he is at this point; his ceiling won't wow you, but his floor isn't as shaky. Richardson is only 23, but his borderline radioactive volatility as a thrower and injury history made him a risk for a Colts team stuck in neutral.

Now, Jones by no means is guaranteed to even get the Colts middling results. He's on his third NFL team for a reason. However, he's the journeyman you know. Richardson, in his third year, still has untapped potential to his game. However, he's not going to find the best version of himself in Indianapolis at this point.

Former first-round quarterbacks like Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold (and former second rounder Geno Smith) stand as shining examples of players who flamed out at their first stop and eventually found their way back to prominence with new teams. If Richardson is to ever shake off the rawness to his game and earn starting reps in the future, he'll need to do it with a new team. Again, he's only 23, so there's still time for him to right his career.

However, it needs to happen sooner than later. Richardson needs to get to a quarterback-friendly staff (hello, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings) and find a better version of himself on the bench, without the added stress of competing for the main gig. The Colts are in survival mode, so they went with the veteran. That's their right. However, the team owes it to Richardson to let him figure things out elsewhere.

The Colts most likely won't go to Richardson in the season, even if Jones struggles. What's the point? If the team doesn't believe in Richardson in this pivotal a season for the team, hopping on the quarterback carousel will stand as a premature admission of defeat. They'll need to stick with Jones to the bitter end. Richardson has no place with the Colts any longer. He deserves a chance to resurrect his career like Goff, Mayfield, Smith and Darnold did.

It's no guarantee that path will work, as the league's history is filled with former first-round quarterbacks who never lived up to their draft status and found more sustainable work as career backups. Richardson may never win a starting job in the NFL if his second act doesn't go as hoped. However, this is the point where you let the first act reach its conclusion and give Richardson the career flexibility to pick up the pieces with a new franchise.

The Colts can find a decent backup quarterback at this point in the season. Jones is their guy; they need to own it. Richardson should be the next former first-round quarterback sent to a new team to figure out his future. It's clearly not with Indianapolis, and it most likely never will be. A clean break is the best scenario for everybody involved.

When will Richardson be a free agent?

If the Colts didn't pick up Richardson's fifth-year option, he would enter NFL free agency in 2027.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Colts should trade Anthony Richardson if they're not going to start him

Reporting by Cory Woodroof, For The Win / For The Win

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