Colts Cut Ties With Anthony Richardson's Fifth-Year Option as QB Experiment Nears Its End

Per Fox59's Mike Chappell, the Indianapolis Colts will decline Anthony Richardson's fifth-year option ahead of Friday's deadline, a move that effectively puts the former top-five pick on a one-year audition for his NFL survival — or sets the clock on his departure entirely. The option would have carried a $22.48 million price tag, a number the front office clearly decided wasn't worth paying for a quarterback who has yet to prove he can stay on the field or run a functional NFL offense.

The context here matters. Richardson has missed significant time to injuries in each of his first two seasons and has flashed elite athleticism without ever translating it into wins or consistent production. The Colts' decision accelerated once they signed Daniel Jones, giving Indianapolis a capable bridge option and removing any pressure to bank on Richardson's upside at a premium cost. When the draft came and went without a single team calling about a trade, that told the full story: around the league, the appetite for a project quarterback on an expiring deal simply isn't there.

This isn't just a roster move — it's an organizational reset at the most important position in football. The Colts drafted Richardson to be their franchise cornerstone, and three years later they're not even willing to guarantee his 2026 salary. Jones inherits the starting role by default, and Indianapolis enters the season with a quarterback room that looks far more like a placeholder situation than a contender's setup. The offensive infrastructure — Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Jonathan Taylor aging out of his prime — doesn't scream 'Jones renaissance' either.

For bettors, this reshapes the Colts' team total and win-total picture in meaningful ways. Indianapolis was already a fringe playoff team; remove the boom-or-bust ceiling Richardson provides and replace it with a 31-year-old Jones coming off a Giants nightmare, and the offense's upside compresses significantly. The Colts' team totals this season should attract sharp under interest, particularly in games where they're asked to keep pace in shootouts. Jones has historically been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league at generating explosive plays — exactly what this receiving corps needs to function. Expect Indianapolis passing props to trend toward shorter yardage ceilings, and the Colts' win total, likely set between 6.5 and 7.5, to carry value on the under as the market adjusts to a roster in quiet rebuild mode.