The Green Bay Packers have already seen a ton of turnover this offseason, as several coaches bolted, including Jeff Hafley taking his talents to South Beach to become the Miami Dolphins' head coach. With free agency slated to open up in March, the Packers will see multiple players sign elsewhere.
Quarterback Malik Willis is expected to get a nice deal from someone in free agency, with a lot of chatter around the Dolphins, reuniting with Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan. Even if it isn't with them, Willis is slated to be elsewhere in 2026, opening a hole at QB2 for this team.
The Packers will need to find someone to take that spot, and the perfect lottery ticket may have appeared. ESPN's Stephen Holder revealed Tuesday that it seems "inevitable" that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson requests a trade this offseason, with the Colts expected to move forward with Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback.
The Packers just took a shot on Willis, and that worked out beautifully for them. They should take a similar swing with Richardson.
Packers Should Take a Chance on Anthony Richardson
It has been a disaster for Richardson and the Colts. He was nabbed with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but he hasn't progressed the way Indianapolis hoped. Over three seasons, he has appeared in just 15 games, logging an 8-7 record. In those outings, Richardson was just 177-of-350 (50 percent) for 2,400 yards, 11 passing touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He has struggled immensely with accuracy, touch, and the speed of the game. Yet, those are concerns he had coming into the league.
He had 13 collegiate starts under his belt when he was drafted, so the Colts were banking on his skills and traits transitioning to the pros, but it didn't go as planned. Richardson has also missed time due to a shoulder injury and a fractured orbital bone, further hampering his development.
The Colts' plan to move forward with Jones as their QB likely puts an end to this chapter, and the Packers would be an ideal landing spot. Before joining the Packers, Willis went 35-of-66 (53 percent) for 350 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions over three games with the Titans.
Green Bay didn't look at what he did in the pros and write him off. Instead, they saw what he could do with proper coaching and new infrastructure. That did wonders for them, as Willis was 70-of-89 (78.7 percent) for 972 yards, six passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions in three starts for the Packers. When they needed him, he delivered and is now poised to get a chance start elsewhere.
With one year left on Richardson's deal, this would be a great flier for the Packers. He can be a quality backup in Green Bay with some new coaching and no expectations to be the starter. Instead, he could focus on his development while providing the Packers with another high-end potential backup.
This would be a win-win for both sides and should be something the Packers seriously consider with a hole at QB2 slated to open up.