Colts can’t afford to trade Anthony Richardson, not after Riley Leonard’s dud vs. Falcons

INDIANAPOLIS — All Riley Leonard could do was shake his head. The Indianapolis Colts quarterback had just fumbled the snap in the second quarter of Saturday’s eventual 34-6 preseason loss against the Atlanta Falcons, and his frustration was evident. Fortunately, for Leonard, he recovered the loose ball and even plunged forward for a 2-yard gain. Unfortunately, that was far from his only miscue on a in what’s been a growing theme.

For the second straight week, Leonard struggled to lead the Colts offense. The second-year pro had the opportunity to start, flip-flopping from last week when Anthony Richardson Sr. started and put together a strong performance, but Leonard couldn’t hold serve. The 2025 sixth-round pick finished Saturday 7-of-14 passing for 62 yards. Thirty-nine of those yards came on a crosser to Coleman Owen on the Colts’ second drive. Otherwise, Leonard’s inconsistency did little to help him gain ground, as he and Richardson compete for the backup role behind starter Daniel Jones.

Instead, Leonard’s latest showing proved one thing: The Colts can’t afford to trade Richardson, even if he still wants out.

“We want to have three (QBs) who can play,” Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodds said earlier this week. “So, if (Richardson) is one of them, he’s gonna be here.”

To be fair, Richardson wasn’t exactly a star on Saturday. In fact, he came back down to earth in a big way after a stellar outing last week. The 2023 No. 4 pick finished 3-of-9 passing for 24 yards, adding three carries for 15 yards, as he and Leonard both failed to lead a single touchdown drive against the Falcons. Still, the larger point remains that since neither quarterback has separated himself from the other, it doesn’t make sense to trade Richardson, presumably for a Day 3 draft pick, and hand the second-string job to Leonard.

Keep in mind, Jones, who is rightfully the Colts’ unquestioned leader after playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level when he was healthy last year, is returning from a torn right Achilles tendon. Jones has shown no signs of ever being injured, but he also hasn’t played a full season since 2022. If that holds true again in 2026, it may behoove the Colts to keep Richardson around.

The fourth-year pro is 8-7 as a starter compared to 0-1 for Leonard. Of course, Richardson’s experience is also accompanied by his well-documented struggles. He’s thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, though his 10 rushing touchdowns suggest his legs could make him the superior backup option in a pinch.

Colts coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week that he’s not in a rush to make a decision on the team’s QB2. But if he has any takeaway from Saturday’s matchup with the Falcons, it’s that although Richardson is no longer Indy’s starter, trading him should probably be a nonstarter.

Grupe’s big miss

Blake Grupe appeared to have taken the lead this offseason in the Colts’ kicking competition, drilling 41 of his 45 field goal attempts in training camp. Spencer Shrader, meanwhile, is 32 of 46. However, in Indy’s two preseason games, Shrader has clearly outperformed his challenger.

Shrader drilled a 48-yarder and 53-yarder in the first quarter Saturday while Grupe missed a 37-yarder in the fourth quarter. Grupe is now 0-of-2 on field goals in the preseason, compared to 4-of-4 for Shrader.

Allen’s NFL debut

CJ Allen made his preseason NFL debut Saturday, but he did not start. The Colts’ rookie second-round pick came in as a reserve behind Austin Ajiake and Jaylon Carlies and totaled three tackles. Allen missed time throughout training camp due to calf and hamstring injuries, and as it stands now, it does not appear he will be a surefire starter in Week 1.