Before the Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray in March, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson frequented the team’s rumor mill, mainly because Minnesota needed someone to accompany J.J. McCarthy in the 2026 quarterback room.
Those rumors later died down when Murray signed, but thanks to ESPN’s Seth Walder, the theory has a bit of a revival.
Minnesota’s QB Room Already Has Its Developmental Gamble
ESPN: Vikings Make Sense for Richardson
Sizing up trade offers for the league’s most gettable players, Walder landed on Minnesota for Richardson.
He wrote, “Seth Walder’s offer: Colts get: 2027 fifth-round pick. Vikings get: Richardson. Why this deal makes sense: Richardson can come to the Kevin O’Connell school of quarterbacks and learn behind another mobile QB in Kyler Murray, who is on just a one-year contract with Minnesota.”
“Richardson’s deal expires in 2027, too, but his acquisition would give the Vikings more options going forward. Maybe Murray works out great and becomes the long-term starter in Minnesota. Or maybe Murray heads elsewhere and the Vikings see enough growth from Richardson to keep him around.”
The Vikings were reportedly interested in Richardson during the buildup to the 2023 NFL Draft.
Walder continued, “In this scenario, the Vikings could keep both Richardson and J.J. McCarthy (though that’s a pretty risky backup room) or deal the latter in another trade. For Indianapolis, it can land a little draft capital now in exchange for a third-string quarterback.”
Stephen Holder from the same network added, “The win-win here is Walder’s offer from the Vikings. First, it gives the Colts a fifth-rounder without a pick swap like Solak’s offer from Detroit. And Minnesota’s fifth-rounder will likely come earlier than Green Bay’s fifth-rounder, giving this deal the edge over Fowler’s pitch.”
“Additionally, it would allow Indianapolis to accommodate Richardson, as Ballard has said he’d like to do, by pairing him with a QB developer in O’Connell. That’s precisely what Richardson has been hoping for.”
Richardson’s Career through 3 Seasons
Richardson has started 15 games over three seasons, and the narrative is unmistakable: injuries, inconsistency, and wonderful moments that bedazzle Colts fans.
At times, he throws a deep ball that appears flawless. A few plays later, however, he might miss an easy throw. This inconsistency defines the Richardson experience. When loosely comparing him across the AFC and NFC, he resembles McCarthy but with more NFL experience and even greater accuracy issues.
In those 15 starts, Richardson has recorded:
- 2,391 passing yards
- 11 passing touchdowns
- 13 interceptions
- 50.6% completion rate
- 635 rushing yards
- 10 rushing touchdowns
If one projects those numbers over a full 17-game season — assuming he can maintain his health — they would translate to:
- 2,709 passing yards
- 24 total touchdowns
- 15 interceptions
- 719 rushing yards
His rushing ability is impressive, and his arm talent is evident. However, that 50.6% completion rate is concerning. Since 2023, Richardson has also posted a -0.014 EPA+CPOE, a statistic that aligns closely with Dillon Gabriel’s 2025 performance, for anyone who has endured watching Cleveland Browns football.
Room for Two Young QBs with Same Problems?
As trade discussions about Richardson linger, the Vikings may not be as sensible a destination as they were a few months ago. He would have made more sense for Minnesota in an alternate 2022 or 2023 history when Kirk Cousins was aging and the franchise needed to take a risk on the future.
The Vikings already have their developmental quarterback in McCarthy. If McCarthy struggles, pivoting to an even less accurate developmental option would be an unusual choice. Additionally, the Vikings have Murray, who is expected to start in Week 1. Earlier in the offseason, Richardson seemed like a fit for Minnesota amid uncertainty about the validity of the Murray rumors.
Those rumors were validated, effectively closing the door on the Richardson opportunity in Minnesota.
Don’t Hold Your Breath
Generally speaking, Richardson to Minnesota is unlikely with Murray in the mix. He cannot, however, be ruled out for the Green Bay Packers. Matt LaFleur and friends have Tyrod Taylor and Kyle McCord behind Jordan Love. Taking a flyer on Richardson feels like a Green Bay thing to do, especially after it empowered Malik Willis to reclaim his career over the last two seasons.
The New York Jets could also make sense, as could the Arizona Cardinals.
It’s also worth noting that Richardson isn’t terribly sought after. The offseason is four months old, and no team has taken the plunge via trade. He’s akin to Will Levis of the Tennessee Titans in that regard.
