Submitting an intriguing prospect profile during an uneven 2022 season at Florida, Anthony Richardson has seen his schedule fill up. Six teams have booked visits with the high-end QB prospect, with No. 6 currently embroiled in one of the odder situations in many years at the position.
The Ravens will host Richardson on a visit, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. Richardson’s Baltimore trip will come amid an itinerary that still includes previously reported plans to meet with the Panthers, Colts, Raiders, Falcons and Titans. The Texans are not planning to meet with Richardson, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, but a private workout is not out of the question. 105.7 The Fan had previously indicated the Ravens would host Richardson (Twitter link).
Richardson is on track to meet with the Ravens during the Lamar Jackson standoff. The former MVP continues to push for a contract that rivals Deshaun Watson‘s for fully guaranteed money. The Ravens have continually expressed a desire for Jackson to remain their starter, but the sides have been unable to come to an agreement despite the sixth-year passer having been extension-eligible since January 2021. As the Ravens navigate messy negotiations with their self-represented quarterback — who requested to be traded more than a month ago — they will meet with at least one of this year’s top prospects.
Making the playoffs last season, the Ravens do not pick until No. 22. They would need to come up with a monster trade package to move into Richardson territory. The rest of the teams meeting with the ex-Gators QB pick from Nos. 1-11. Jackson would be worth a Watson-like trade haul (a package starting with three first-rounders), but his contract demands and injury history have led to the rest of the league passing on an offer sheet. An unmatched offer sheet would lead to the Ravens receiving two first-round picks. The Colts hold the No. 4 pick and would make sense as a Jackson suitor, but Jim Irsay‘s comments about guarantees do not point to a serious push.
The Seahawks should also be considered on the Richardson radar. Pete Carroll has developed a quality rapport with the 6-foot-4 passer, Anderson adds, but Seattle has not yet scheduled a visit. The Seahawks recently re-signed Geno Smith, but that contract — despite it being billed initially as a three-year contract worth more than $100MM — looks more like a “prove it” deal. Smith signed for just $27.3MM fully guaranteed, giving the Seahawks flexibility. Carroll and GM John Schneider have been regulars at pro days this year, and the power duo has not shied away from a potential QB pick at No. 5. While Schneider is fond of first-round trade-down maneuvers, Richardson falling to No. 5 at this point would be a bit of a surprise.
Buzz at last week’s league meetings connected the Seahawks to a trade-up from No. 5 to No. 3 for either Richardson or Will Levis, Vic Tafur of The Athletic adds (subscription required). C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young are the favorites to go off the board at Nos. 1 and 2, though this is not the slam-dunk proposition a Trevor Lawrence–Zach Wilson draft start was in 2021. Richardson completed only 53.82% of his passes last season but showed tremendous athleticism during his one season as a full-time starter. Richardson, who weighed 244 pounds at the Combine, would profile as a developmental player. The Seahawks having Smith under contract for three years would help pave a potential Richardson runway.
It would be interesting to see if the Cardinals would move out of that spot to allow their division rivals to select a quarterback. The Titans have also been connected to moving into that spot for a passer, as have the Raiders. The Seahawks moving up would not seemingly require as much trade compensation, though the intra-NFC West element complicates matters.
Watched a few Florida games this past year and there’s no doubt that the kid has raw talent. I’m just wondering how a team looks at that and spends a first round pick on him in this era.
What standoff with Lamar? He had & has a deal on the table. He won’t pass up the $30+m tag, but he should feel foolish for thinking they would give him the exclusive tag thinking that deal would be more valuable.