The Anthony Richardson Waiting Game: Why Chris Ballard and the Colts Are Staring at Their Phones

Let’s set the scene: The 2024 NFL Draft has just wrapped up. War rooms across the league are littered with empty coffee cups, half-eaten pizzas, and the shattered dreams of mock draft experts everywhere. In Indianapolis, Colts General Manager Chris Ballard sits by his phone, waiting for it to ring.He’s waiting for a trade offer for quarterback Anthony Richardson. And he’s still waiting.

If you thought the NFL was a league of instant gratification, Ballard is here to remind you that sometimes, playing the role of an NFL GM is a lot like fishing in a puddle. You know you probably aren’t going to catch anything today, but you’re going to stand there with your rod anyway.

The Silence of the Phones

When asked if his phone was blowing up during the draft with teams clamoring for the former fourth-overall pick, Ballard didn’t sugarcoat the reality of the situation.“Nothing yet, no. Nothing yet,” Ballard told reporters, delivering the kind of blunt honesty you usually only get from a guy who just watched his golf ball slice into a water hazard.Was he stunned that no rival executives were desperate to throw draft capital at him? Not quite.

“Nothing surprises me anymore,” Ballard noted, perfectly capturing the existential dread of a man who has spent way too many years navigating the chaotic, unpredictable circus that is the National Football League.The Colts’ strategy right now is simple: hurry up and wait.“We’ll have a little patience here and see what happens,” Ballard added. “We’ll let it play out as it does over time.” Translation? We aren’t hitting the panic button just yet, mostly because it’s currently unplugged.

The Salary Cap Gymnastics

So, why exactly is the trade market for a dynamic young quarterback moving at the speed of a dial-up internet connection? Look no further than the almighty salary cap.

The Colts would absolutely love to find a trade partner willing to take Richardson’s contract off their books. Right now, Richardson carries a cap hit of $10.8 million for the upcoming season. If Indianapolis manages to ship him off without having to swallow any of his contract in the process, the math gets chopped in half. The Colts would absorb about $5.4 million in dead cap, while his shiny new team would be on the hook for the remaining $5.4 million.

It sounds like a bargain for a guy with Richardson’s raw athletic traits, right? Unfortunately, rival front offices are clutching their checkbooks tightly. So far, nobody has stepped up to the plate willing to eat that $5.4 million slice of the pie.

The Elephant in the Room: The Eye Injury

You can’t talk about Anthony Richardson’s trade value without bringing up his health. The former Florida Gator is still working his way back from an eye injury sustained last October. Yes, an eye injury. In a league where blown-out knees and separated shoulders are the norm, an eye injury adds a unique layer of uncertainty to a player’s medical chart.The good news? Richardson is widely expected to be cleared and ready to roll for offseason workouts. He just needs a team to actually work out for.

What Happens Next in Indy?

For now, Chris Ballard and the Colts are stuck in NFL purgatory. They have a talented, high-ceiling quarterback on the roster that they clearly want to move, and exactly zero buyers knocking on the door.Will a team suffer an injury in training camp and get desperate? Will a coaching staff convince themselves they can fix Richardson’s game and turn him into a superstar? That’s the beauty of the NFL—desperation makes people do funny things.

Until that desperation hits, Ballard will keep his phone on silent, sip his coffee, and practice the ancient art of patience.