Trade market for Anthony Richardson could be similar to this former top-five pick

Dan Guttenplan

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Trade market for Anthony Richardson could be similar to this former top-five pick image

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson and his agent are reeling in the wake of the announcement that Daniel Jones will be the Week 1 starter, ending the preseason competition between the two former top-10 picks.

Richardson's agent, Deiric Jackson, didn't go so far as to demand a trade, but he did say that the decision left Richardson shocked, and that, "We have a lot to discuss."

In case the situation does end in a trade, it's worth speculating on the potential return for the Colts. ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler polled a couple of league executives and determined that the market for former San Francisco 49ers top-five draft pick Trey Lance might be the closest comp.

"Another NFL personnel administrator mentioned Trey Lance as a potential comp from a situational standpoint -- a shaky quarterback outlook after two years with the team that drafted him in the top five," Fowler wrote. "Lance netted a fourth-round pick for San Francisco in a trade with Dallas. And Richardson has a higher ceiling."

Any team that trades for Richardson could have him under team control for three more seasons, which was similar to the financial implications of a trade for Lance after his second season. Richardson and Lance also had similar beginnings to their respective NFL careers -- light on positive performances at the pro level.

That's why Fowler struggled to find a league executive who would predict a large return for Richardson in a trade.

"It's hard to say -- the play and the injuries have been bad enough that it's a hard one, but if a team had a real need and since he has plenty of team control left [under contract until at least 2026], he should have something," an AFC executive said.

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Dan Guttenplan

Dan Guttenplan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News.