With Patrick Mahomes' 2026 playing status up in the air, the Kansas City Chiefs mustfind a reliable backup quarterback early this offseason.
Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL, and the Chiefs need someone to be ready just in case the three-time Super Bowl-winning QB isn't ready by September. With this in mind, Kansas City fans should pay close attention to ESPN's Stephen Holder's new report.
"The Indianapolis Colts have given QB Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade, given his uncertain future in Indy." Holder wrote on Thursday. Given that other teams will likely be interested in the former fourth overall picks' services, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach might want to pick up the phone soon.
Anthony Richardson Trade Makes Too Much Sense for Chiefs
The Colts' allowing Richardson to seek his own trade proves that they are done with him and want to turn the page. Leverage is handed to the team acquiring the quarterback, making it clear that the cost should be very low. For the Chiefs, you have a chance to add a young and talented quarterback for pennies on the dollar in comparison to his potential upside.
Richardson would be an ideal reclamation project for the Chiefs to take on and is unlikely to cost much at all. A recent example of a potential trade price is the Chicago Bears' trade of Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The trade price was a future sixth-round pick that could become a fourth-round pick based on playing time.
That'd be a fair price for Richardson if the Chiefs can snag it.
Later on Thursday, one of Richardson's agents — Chris Rogers — admitted to Fox Sports' Henry McKenna that the Chiefs are one of the "potential matches" for his client. It isn't hard to see why, given what the 23-year-old QB could learn by playing behind Mahomes.
Richardson is an interesting addition not only as a reclamation project, but due to physicality that could be utilized even after Mahomes returns. In an age where it seems each franchise has its own version of a Tush-Push play, the Chiefs refuse to put Mahomes in harm's way in the newly designed quarterback sneak. Instead, they can use Richardson in the trenches.
In 15 career starts, the former Florida Gator has converted 115 carries into 634 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. His passing stats aren't as impressive, though, with a 50.6% completion rate and 67.8 passer rating.
Still, Richardson's physicality is too enticing for the Chiefs to ignore, especially if they want to make Mahomes' life easier. Add in the potential upside of the talented quarterback learning within head coach Andy Reid's system, and it is clearly one of the most exciting potential fits on the market.
The Chiefs' connections to Colts general manager Chris Ballard could also come into play here. Current K.C. GM Brett Veach and Ballard both joined the Chiefs' front office in 2013 before the latter left for Indianapolis in 2017, so it's possible their shared history could make a trade easier to facilitate.
The Chiefs have a difficult decision to make when deciding who will sit behind Mahomes. Richardson should be near the top of the list, though, as his potential upside, team fit, and low cost make too much sense for a backup QB-needy, cash-strapped team like Kansas City.