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Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
The Green Bay Packers enter a pivotal offseason for the future of the franchise.
After looking like a legitimate Super Bowl contender for much of last season, the Packers were bitten hard by the injury bug late in the year. Unfortunately, those injuries to players like Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft ended the team’s hopes of a championship.
Heading into the offseason, Green Bay has a few clear needs to address. If general manager Brian Gutekunst and the front office can have a strong offseason, the Packers should be right back in the mix to win it all during the 2026 season.
One need for the team will be to find a quality backup quarterback behind Jordan Love. With Malik Willis expected to leave town for a starting opportunity in free agency, a few options have already been suggested as his replacement.
Green Bay Packers Urged to Target Sleeper QB Trade Option
David Carr, a former NFL quarterback and a current NFL.com analyst, believes that one specific quarterback would make sense. He thinks that Indianapolis Colts signal caller Anthony Richardson should be a target for Green Bay.
“Malik Willis developed greatly as a backup for two seasons under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, and now, he’s in line to earn a second starting opportunity in free agency,” Carr wrote.
“If Willis does sign with another team, Green Bay would be a great fit for Richardson, who would no doubt benefit learning from LaFleur and working behind Jordan Love. The former first-round QB has the talent to play in this league and could be the next quarterback to resurrect his career if he lands in the right system.”
Richardson is expected to be traded by the Colts this offseason. After being taken with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, things haven’t gone according to play for the former Florida Gators standout.
What Would Anthony Richardson Bring to the Packers?
On the surface, Richardson is an elite physical presence. He’s extremely athletic and has a cannon for an arm. However, he has dealt with numerous injuries already in his young NFL career and has not shown signs of development in Indianapolis.
Throughout the 17 games he has played in his young career, Richardson has thrown for 2,400 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, while completing 50.6 percent of his passes. He has also run for 634 yards and 10 scores.
Matt LaFleur has come under fire over the last couple of years as head coach of the Packers, but he is elite at developing quarterbacks.
When Green Bay traded for Willis, he was already considered a bust with the Tennessee Titans. The Packers developed him to being one of the top free agents on the market this offseason.
There is a good chance that Green Bay could do the same with Richardson. It’s a scenario at least worth exploring for the Packers.