Anthony Richardson’s future with the Indianapolis Colts remains uncertain. On Thursday, it was reported that both the quarterback and the team agreed to mutually seek a trade.

While Richardson figures out his NFL future, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe had a plan of action for him heading into his fourth year in the league. On Saturday’s episode of “Nightcap,” the retired three-time Super Bowl champion urged the former first-round pick to consider following the footsteps of Super Bowl LX champion Sam Darnold.

“The Colts have given Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade,” Sharpe said. “You might have to go be a backup for a couple of years. We look at Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold left, he went to Carolina, that wasn’t a great situation for him. And he said it was there where he learned how to play the quarterback position.

“Everybody can be replaced. You just hope it come later than sooner. Maybe this is the wakeup call that he needeed.”

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The Jets drafted Sam Darnold with the third overall pick in 2018. However, he was traded to the Panthers after just three seasons. The quarterback served as a backup for them and his next team, the San Francisco 49ers.

In 2024, the Vikings brought in Darnold as their QB1 after J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending injury. His impressive 4,319 yards and 35 TDs passing record helped the team make it to the wild-card round of the playoffs. Last March, the Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year deal worth $100.5 million.

As their QB1, he helped the team win the NFC championship. Darnold also helped the Seahawks defeat the Patriots to win Super Bowl LX.

Sharpe believes that Anthony Richardson could also follow a similar trajectory in his career. He had quite the buzz after being named a starter during his rookie campaign. However, injuries have plagued his playing time on the field.

Last season, Richardson was named as the backup to Daniel Jones. He played in two games before being placed on the injured reserve in October after a fractured orbital bone.

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Colts GM Chris Ballard shares his thoughts about Anthony Richardson

At the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, Colts GM Chris Ballard was questioned about Anthony Richardson’s future with the franchise.

He had a lot of positive things to say about the quarterback. At the same time, Ballard also highlighted how injuries have affected Richardson.

“He’s getting better,” Ballard said. “I know he met with another specialist. He’s getting better. He’s cleared fully to play football. I’m proud of Anthony, man. Here’s a guy who has had to deal with a lot of injury stuff that happens. Unfortunate incident with the eye. He doesn’t win the job. Daniel wins the job.

“I think the one thing that I don’t know if everybody appreciates about Anthony, I do know and I know some of his teammates do, is that he’s a really good teammate. Positive, wants to do the right thing. So it’s trending in the right direction.”

Last season, the Colts finished third in the AFC South with an 8-9 record. Daniel Jones ended up with a torn Achilles tendon in December. They then brought in Philip Rivers out of retirement to play the remainder of the season.