Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans have spent the offseason clamoring for the front office to pull off a blockbuster trade to upgrade the defense, with Maxx Crosby at the top of the wishlist.
But perhaps the biggest trade won't involve a pass rusher but instead the guy he'd be chasing. While Baker Mayfield is clearly the starter in Tampa, his future is murkier than ever; his contract is up at the end of the season and Mike Evans leaving in free agency could inspire other key member to exit as well.
That's all a bit down the road, but there's a potential valve the Bucs could pull this offseason to safeguard against further offensive unrest. Rumors are swirling that the Chiefs, Lions, Packers, Rams, and Ravens are among the teams that have checked in with the Colts about an Anthony Richardson trade, with the Colts expected to ask for a late Day 3 pick.
If that's the case, the Bucs should absolutely enter that conversation in a serious way.
Buccaneers should show interest in trading for Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson is one of the most intriguing young quarterbacks in the NFL. His potential is undeniable, as Richardson boasts an insane athletic profile at 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds. He has a rare combination of size and speed and was frequently compared to Cam Newton as a prospect coming out of the hometown University of Florida.
Florida's Anthony Richardson is listed as having the highest relative athletic score amongst quarterbacks all-time pic.twitter.com/urawcEHxTA
— SūmerSports (@SumerSports) March 6, 2023
Richardson is a dual-threat quarterback with elite rushing ability combined with one of the league’s strongest arms. The problem is he has failed to live up to his potential and find consistent NFL success. While he has the physical tools, it’s the consistency in terms of accuracy and diagnosing defenses at the pro level that has held him back.
The Colts quickly gave up on Richardson after drafting him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The 23-year-old has started only 15 games in his career, compiling an 8–7 record with 11 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and an abysmal 50.6% completion percentage.
But with how young he is paired with his elite physical traits, there will certainly be teams willing to take a risk on him or add him as a backup where he can continue to develop. Apparently, the Bucs are one of those teams.
Tampa Bay parting with draft capital to add Richardson just days after signing quarterback Jake Browning to the backup role feels unlikely, but let’s entertain the idea anyway.
What an Anthony Richardson trade could mean for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield is entering a contract year, and the quarterback market is through the roof. As things stand, Mayfield could easily command at least $50 million per year on his next contract. But what if he regresses in 2026 and the Buccaneers hesitate to make a long-term investment?
Richardson could be an ideal candidate to develop behind the scenes and potentially take over the quarterback spot in the future if disaster strikes with Mayfield.
Anybody else randomly think about this Anthony Richardson throw? pic.twitter.com/BPNSb5rrXf
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) June 17, 2025
The move even makes sense without considering Richardson for the starting job. The backup quarterback spot has been a major weakness for Tampa Bay in recent years. Kyle Trask, with minimal meaningful NFL snaps, wasn’t an inspiring backup option. Neither was veteran Teddy Bridgewater, who looked far from NFL-ready after coming out of retirement last season.
Despite adding Browning, the Bucs could want to do as much due diligence as possible to strengthen the backup spot and have Richardson compete with Browning for the right to back up Mayfield.
There’s also another potential benefit to the Buccaneers taking a flier on Richardson. If he were forced into game action due to an injury to Mayfield and managed to put together an impressive stretch of play, it could quickly spark leaguewide interest. Quarterback-needy teams are always looking for upside, and if Richardson shows growth, Tampa Bay could flip him later for a more valuable draft pick than what they originally gave up.
Of course, this all remains unlikely, but we’re just playing devil’s advocate here. If the Bucs could maintain the same amount of draft picks and simply pull off a pick swap to acquire such a talented young quarterback, it would be an extremely low-risk, high-reward gamble that could pay dividends.