The Indianapolis Colts have gotten off to a solid start this season, going 3-2 out of the gate. However, there are some concerns moving forward, especially at the quarterback position. Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is going to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Richardson suffered an AC joint sprain in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans when he was tackled by Harold Landry III and his right shoulder was driven into the ground. He was taken out of the game immediately and his return to the field is up in the air.
The Colts are gathering as many opinions as possible to figure out the course of action to take. There is a chance that his season is over if the injury is severe enough that he has to undergo surgery.
Right now, the Colts have Gardner Minshew to step into the lineup as the team’s starter. Minshew is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL and has starting experience from his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles. He already led Indianapolis to one victory this season, defeating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 when Richardson was sidelined because of a concussion.
With adept knowledge of Shane Steichen’s offense, the Colts are comfortable turning to Minshew for as long as Richardson is sidelined. However, Eric Smithling of Yardbarker believes the Colts could look to make a change should it be determined Richardson needs to miss the remainder of the season.
In his opinion, that would make Indianapolis a potential landing spot for Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Kirk Cousins. Despite the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets being mentioned as the top landing spots for him, Smithling believes the Colts could swoop in to make a deal.
“The Falcons and Jets are the popular picks to trade for Cousins, whose contract is up at the end of the season, but consider the Colts for a moment. For Anthony Richardson to be a star of the future, the team must consider his present. The No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft has exceeded expectations in his first four starts, but injuries are piling up for him. He suffered a knee injury in Week 1, a concussion in Week 3 and a right shoulder sprain in Week 5. Backup Gardner Minshew has been solid in relief, but Cousins offers more upside for an Indianapolis team that is surprisingly a contender in the AFC South.”
The no-trade clause certainly complicates things. Cousins has a say in where he goes if he wants to be traded at all. On an expiring contract, it would certainly boost his profile is he landed with a playoff-contending team and helped them get into the postseason.
Are the Colts that team? They have certainly been competitive this season, but it would be hard to imagine them spending the capital it would cost to land Cousins. His expiring deal is ideal as it would mean Richardson can just take over again next season when healthy, but Indianapolis is likely better off sticking the course as there is no guarantee their prized rookie won’t return this season.
