The Green Bay Packers went from having one of the best backup quarterbacks in the game to one of the most underwhelming. Malik Willis' electric play helped hold down the fort in Jordan Love's absence, and that might not be the case with Tyrod Taylor.
Matt LaFleur has proven to be great at developing young quarterbacks. Taylor is pretty much a finished product at this point in his career, and they could certainly do much better in that department.
Considering that, FanSided's Wynston Wilcox predicted the Packers would send a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-rounder to the Indianapolis Colts to get their hands on Anthony Richardson. While that package might be a bit too rich, making a run at him does make some sense.
The Packers should roll the dice on Anthony Richardson
" He needs a coach that can take the talent and potential and mold that into an NFL quarterback, and Green Bay feels like the perefct landing spot," wrote Wilcox. "A coach like Matt LaFleur would help him truly help him reach his full potential. Green Bay also needs a backup quarterback with Malik Willis’ departure."
A couple of years ago, the Packers tried their luck with Tennessee Titans draft bust Malik Willis. Like Anthony Richardson, he was an athletic freak with a high ceiling who failed to live up to the hype with the team that drafted him.
They worked with him, developed him, and did a solid job of hiding his flaws when he was forced to play. As a result, he got a polarizing and very lucrative free agent deal with the Miami Dolphins this offseason.
Richardson is a former No. 4 pick, and he might be the most athletic and physically gifted quarterback prospect of all time. That doesn't mean he is or will ever be a franchise quarterback or maybe a starting-caliber guy, but the physical tools are just too promising to look the other way.
LaFleur knows how to draw plays for mobile guys who can extend plays with their legs. Richardson has a cannon for an arm, and while it takes much more than athleticism and strength to make it in the league, he's worth a gamble as a reclamation project.
Of course, giving up two draft picks for a player with no takers wouldn't be good asset management, but the Packers can probably have him for less than that. There, he'd had no pressure to get on the field, and he'd get to work on his accuracy and mechanics while getting a clean slate and an opportunity to start from scratch.
Richardson hasn't even turned 25 yet. We've seen so many late bloomers turn things around when they get to the right place, and LaFleur could work his magic with him and make him a starting-caliber guy for another team. If things don't work out, they can just move on from him.
Also, with all the narratives around Jordan Love and how LaFleur seems to keep him on a short leash, he might even get a legitimate chance to put some pressure on the Packers' quarterback next season. This move screams 'nothing to lose and a lot to gain,' and it shouldn't cost much.
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