Vikings Connected to Risky Reclamation QB

After a Minnesota Vikings win in 2024, head coach Kevin O’Connell greeted Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson at midfield, telling him to keep his chin up after a recent demotion. A year and a half later, Richardson has been suggested as the Vikings’ big offseason quarterback addition.

Richardson remains a volatile bet, but Minnesota’s QB situation keeps his name in the conversation as a swing-for-upside option.

Minnesota will add another quarterback next to J.J. McCarthy in the coming weeks, and according to Bleacher Report, the Vikings should be on a shortlist for a Richardson trade.

Richardson Talk Lingers as Vikings QB Board Widens

Your Richardson agendas are alive and well.

BR: Vikings Make Sense for a Richardson Trade

BR’s Alex Kay sized up four destinations for Richardson, and in addition to the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota got a nod.

He wrote, “After going 14-3 with Sam Darnold at the helm in 2024, the Minnesota Vikings could be in the market for another rehabilitation project. Richardson would fit the bill as a promising talent who hasn’t come close to meeting the lofty expectations set by his first-round draft position.”

“While Minnesota will be working to build up J.J. McCarthy after a rough sophomore campaign, the No. 10 overall pick in 2024 has proved to be injury-prone early in his NFL career. He already missed his entire rookie season and seven games in 2025, making quarterback depth a priority this offseason.”

Richardson isn’t a dream fit for the Vikings’ current offense, but he does have the raw tools to mature into a long-term QB1 if nurtured properly.

Kay added, “O’Connell seems to believe Richardson has real potential to develop into a superstar despite the rough start to his career. After his Vikings bested the Colts midway through the 2024 season — a game Richardson spent on the bench backing up Joe Flacco — O’Connell went out of his way to heap praise upon the young QB.”

“Richardson could do far worse than landing in the Twin Cities this offseason. He’ll have a fantastic opportunity to develop his game and could even end up starting if McCarthy goes down with another injury in 2026.”

The IND Experiment Winding Down

Last offseason, the Vikings attempted to re-sign Daniel Jones, but he preferred the Colts as his free-agent destination because he figured he could win a starting job there over Richardson, while McCarthy felt like the preordained starter. Ultimately, Jones was correct.

He toppled Richardson somewhat easily during training camp and in the preseason, paving the way for Jones as the unabashed QB1, which he rewarded the Colts by starting the 2025 season white-hot.

Jones would later tear his Achilles tendon, but Richardson was battling an injury, too, so the Colts had to scramble and wound up mind-bogglingly signing Philip Rivers, who hadn’t played football in five years.

Every Colts quarterback outcome in 2025 involved a quarterback not named Anthony Richardson. Therefore, it feels like he’s the odd man out and must head elsewhere.

Just Another Version of McCarthy?

The problem with a Vikings trade for Richardson? He has two shortcomings: his performance shows extreme flashes of brilliance, followed by woeful inconsistencies. He also can’t stay healthy.

Does that sound familiar? It should — those are McCarthy’s bugaboos through two seasons. Finding a way to obtain Richardson would feel like onboarding another version of McCarthy. That is — he might eventually become consistent if he can stay healthy, but no one knows if either will occur.

Kay also noted on Richardson to Minnesota, “O’Connell is considered one of the league’s premier quarterback whisperers, coaxing some truly impressive seasons out of Pro Bowlers like Kirk Cousins and Matt Stafford in addition to maximizing the talents of written-off or unheralded talent such as Darnold and Josh Dobbs.”

“Daniel Jones, the passer who edged out Richardson for Indianapolis’ starting job last year, said the handful of months spent in Minnesota with O’Connell ‘made a big impression’ on him.”

Other Trade Options

Of course, Richardson isn’t the only trade option for the 2026 Vikings. If one assumes that established quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, and Dak Prescott are not for sale — why would those players’ teams trade them? — a realistic list might look like this:

• Derek Carr
• Mac Jones
• Drew Lock
• Jalen Milroe
• Jameis Winston
• Justin Fields
• Will Levis
• Davis Mills
• Kyler Murray
• Spencer Rattler

Minnesota would also explore Malik Willis’s free agency; he’s the QB2 for the Packers, who is on the cusp of netting a handsome free-agent contract, with hopes of breaking out big in 2026.

Any Vikings trade for a quarterback like Richardson can happen at anytime. The team doesn’t have to wait until free agency begins on March 9th.

Richardson will turn 24 in May. Youth is his friend.