The Colts have given quarterback Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft was 8-7 in 15 starts for the Colts but with just a 67.8 passer rating, 634 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 115 carries.
What can the Colts get for Richardson? Don’t start counting your extra draft capital yet. Here’s a look at what some recent first-round quarterback busts have brought back in trades:
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Kenny Pickett: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, 5th round pick
Pickett was taken 20th overall in the 2022 draft by the Steelers and started 24 games with a 78.8 passer rating. He was dealt to Philadelphia after the 2024 season for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who went on to post a 45.2 passer rating in Cleveland, and a 2025 5th round pick.
Zach Wilson: Traded with a 7th round pick for a 6th round pick
Wilson was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the New York Jets, started 33 games with a 73.1 passer rating and was dealt with a seventh-round pick to Denver after the 2023 season for a sixth-round pick.
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Justin Fields: 6th round pick
Fields started 53 games for the Bears after he was taken 11th in the 2021 draft. He had an 84.7 passer rating and rushed for 2,220 yards and 14 touchdowns on 356 carries, posting a 10-28 record. He brought back a sixth round pick from Pittsburgh. Fields has failed to hold on to starting jobs in Pittsburgh and with the New York Jets since being dealt.
Mac Jones: 6th round pick
After a promising rookie season, Jones went 8-17 over the next two seasons with the Patriots with an 81.4 passer rating and was dealt to Jacksonville for a sixth-round pick after the 2023 season. Jones had a strong season as the 49ers backup last season, posting a 97.4 passer rating.
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Trey Lance: 4th round pick
Lance was the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft and threw just 102 passes in four starts with the 49ers. He was dealt to the Cowboys prior to the 2024 season, lost his only start and then made one start for the Chargers in 2025.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Anthony Richardson trade: What will the Colts get for quarterback?