The Minnesota Vikings made a major quarterback trade this week. They agreed to send former No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants.
But that hasn’t stopped pundits from linking the Vikings to another deal behind center. If anything, the hole McCarthy leaves behind in Minnesota has encouraged analysts to link the Vikings to other quarterbacks.
On Friday, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox named Minnesota one of two potential suitors for Indianapolis Colts former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson.
The 2023 first-round pick entered his third NFL season behind Daniel Jones on the Indianapolis depth chart. However, the 24-year-old still possesses considerable physical upside and has time to get his career back on track,” wrote Knox.
“However, Richardson is unlikely to draw significant interest as a prospective starter in 2027 free agency. Landing with a team facing uncertainty at quarterback next offseason could give him a chance to reestablish himself and compete for a starting job.”
Richardson hasn’t appeared in a game yet this season. Daniel Jones returned as Indianapolis’s starter this season. Last year, which was Jones’s first full year with the Colts, Richardson also didn’t start a game.
From 2023-24, though, Richardson went 8-7 as a starter. In 17 appearances overall, he has completed 50.6% of his passes for 2,400 yards. Richardson has also tossed 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Could Vikings Acquire Anthony Richardson?
Knox is hardly the first analyst to connect the Vikings to Richardson. The possibility of the No. 4 overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft heading to Minneapolis has existed in the media really since before 2026 free agency.
The possibility died down after the Vikings signed Kyler Murray. But Murray hasn’t been stellar to begin this season and is only on a 1-year contract. The veteran might have to play a lot better to secure his future in Minnesota.
Before the McCarthy trade, the Vikings had arguably too many quarterbacks. So it’s unlikely they trade for Richardson. But they could, in theory, because similar to Murray, Richardson offers intriguing upside.
Richardson came into the NFL as a raw passer. He remains that in his fourth season in the league. But at 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds with great raw ability, Richardson continues to be a unicorn from an athletic standpoint. He is also still only 24 years old.
In addition to his passing numbers, the Colts quarterback has 634 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry during his 11 starts in 2024.
Minnesota QB Situation After J.J. McCarthy Trade
The Vikings sent McCarthy to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round selection. Even before the trade, Murray and Carson Wentz were the top two quarterbacks on Minnesota’s depth chart. But the team solidified those roles with the deal and then added Max Brosmer back to the active roster as a QB3.
Trading for Richardson would upset that quarterback hierarchy. That’s probably the main reason why it won’t happen. But as long as Murray continues to be less than stellar this season, pundits are going to connect the Vikings to available quarterbacks.
The same could be true even if Murray doesn’t improve and the Vikings start losing. In that event, Minnesota could make an early decision on Murray’s future and then trade for Richardson to begin evaluating him for 2027.
To be crystal clear, this trade isn’t very likely. But it’s not out of the realm of possibility for a variety of reasons.
Vikings Urged to Make Another Big Quarterback Trade