The Green Bay Packers have a vacant spot at backup quarterback after Malik Willis was handed a three-year $67.5 million with the Miami Dolphins, who now no longer have a #1 or #2 wide receiver.
Immediately, fans’ thoughts turned to bringing in another highly talented quarterback whose current team conditions have not allowed them to succeed in the way many thought may be possible prior to entering the league.
One such clear example – and one that has been widely postulated over the past few months – is that of the Indianapolis Colts‘ former third overall pick Anthony Richardson.
The Colts granted permission to seek a trade in late February, and subsequently many eyes turned to the Green Bay Packers as ideal suitors. However, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, fans should pump the breaks on any premature ideas of Richardson landing in Green Bay.
Anthony Richardson Perhaps Not a Perfect Fit in Green Bay
Although ostensibly the fit makes sense, given what head coach Matt LaFleur managed to accomplish with the fellow untapped raw talent in Willis, Schneidman argues that the finances do make it difficult to justify a trade.
“Given the Packersâ need at backup quarterback and the successful Malik Willis experiment, thatâs where everyoneâs mind goes, right? I get it.” Schneidman wrote on March 19, referring to a possible Packers move for the 23-year old.
“But when the Packers traded for Willis, he was a former third-round pick still on his rookie contract; Richardson is a former No. 4 pick still on his rookie deal with a 2026 cap number of approximately $10.8 million. That figure would be the eighth-highest on the Packers, per OTC [Over the Cap].Iâm not sure Gutekunst wants to commit to paying Richardsonâs roster bonus and guaranteed salary (approximately $9.6 million combined) for a backup quarterback.”
Would Finances Totally Prevent a Richardson Trade?
In theory, the Packers could certainly find a way round the finances. The Packers could agree to a cheap one-year extension that sees Richardson play one what would ultimately look something like a two-year $16 million deal, with him then hitting free agency one year later after the 2027 season.
This would not only increase the value of him to Green Bay, as they would have him secured for an extra year as their backup, but it potentially also works well for the University of Florida alum, who gets a full two seasons to sit behind Jordan Love and learn from one of the most highly regarded quarterback gurus in the game in LaFleur.
Without an extension, the Packers could still afford to bring in Richardson as the team has over $23 million in cap space. But the desire to actually pull off that trade; especially considering the Colts will no doubt want some sort of draft compensation coming back their way in return; may well be strongly diminished.
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