Last year, the Indianapolis Colts chose to bring in rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson in the 2023 NFL Draft, and before he got hurt in his fourth game with the team, he showed flashes of brilliance while proving that the team might have made the right move with their first-round pick.
A year later, the narrative has shifted in Indianapolis, as Richardson has gone from a promising young quarterback to an often-injured player who has been benched in favor of a 39-year-old journeyman, Joe Flacco.
After losing to the Houston Texans in Week 8, the Colts have decided to switch to Flacco, who has played well on the field in place of Richardson when he’s been injured this season.
This is a surprising move by the Colts, which the Carolina Panthers did earlier this season with former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, as it could be too soon to make this kind of move with a young quarterback.
With Richardson headed to the bench moving forward, Mike Greenberg believes he’ll end up like another former first-round pick, Zach Wilson, who now appears to be a career backup with the Denver Broncos via ESPN Radio.
“He’s going to wind up being exactly what Zach Wilson was…an absolutely terrible pick that most people should have seen coming,” Greenberg said.
“He’s going to wind up being EXACTLY what Zach Wilson was…an absolutely terrible pick that most people should have seen coming.” ?
—@Espngreeny https://t.co/NXyTCba2UD pic.twitter.com/6LT9OWZ1rS
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) October 29, 2024
With the Colts sitting at 4-4 after losing to their division rivals, Indianapolis likely made this move to salvage the season, hoping to still make the NFL playoffs.
What the future holds for Richardson remains to be seen, but this seems to be a step in the wrong direction.
NEXT: Analyst Calls For 1 NFL QB To Be Benched
