Anthony Richardson is Worth the Risk

Anthony Richardson is as physically talented as any quarterback we’ve ever seen. He’s got the size (6’4”, 230 lbs), the athleticism to break a big run on any play, and the arm strength to rival the top gun-slingers in the game.

The problem is that he’s still very raw as a passer. And that’s not exactly a tiny issue.

So the key question with Richardson is, how much growing does he still have left to do? Is this unpolished version of him close to what we’re likely to see throughout his NFL career? Or can his physical talents be harnessed to a much greater extent, similar to what the Chiefs and Bills have been able to do with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen respectively?

More Reps Needed

Richardson doesn’t have a lot of playing experience under his belt. He didn’t even start a full NFL season’s worth of games in college (just 13 total). He attempted a mere 393 career passes while at Florida. For reference, there were 19 quarterbacks in the NFL who attempted more passes last season.

There is no substitute for game experience, and Richardson is clearly lacking in this area. That might explain why his ability to effectively process defenses is a work in progress.

Just look at a play like this as an example. The defense dropped out into quarter-quarter-half zone coverage. Richardson went from his first read in the flat to his second read running the corner route to his third read running the deep-over from the other side of the field: