Anthony Richardson, Florida Gators Pro Day. Mandatory Credit: USA Today Sports/Syndication: Gator Sports
Lamar Jackson doesn’t want it all (just most), the DeAndre Hopkins trade has a holdup, and Anthony Richardson is Zach Wilson in our NFL rumors roundup.
Even though the NFL Annual Meetings in Phoenix have now concluded, the NFL rumors rolling out of the multitude of conversations and media appearances aren’t stopping. And that’s only exacerbated with Pro Days going on for top quarterback prospects like Anthony Richardson.
With all of this scuttlebutt, though, there have been some crucial updates on guys like Lamar Jackson and DeAndre Hopkins that could be on the move via trade (or convoluted non-exclusive franchise tag dealings). Meanwhile, Richardson wowed at his Pro Day, as you’d expect.
So where does that leave us? Let’s round up some key NFL rumors concerning some of the bigger names in the league (or that will be in the league soon enough).
NFL Rumors: Anthony Richardson just gave scouts the Zach Wilson Pro Day catnip
Anthony Richardson stands as one of the most polarizing quarterback prospects that we’ve seen in the NFL draft perhaps since Josh Allen. That’s a scary thought as, for how perfectly the Allen gamble has gone for the Bills, he is the outlier when it comes to those dice rolls.
The Florida quarterback has been talked about by some as the potential No. 1 pick, while others would make him the fourth (or even fifth) quarterback off the board in the 2023 draft. He has accuracy issues, his decision-making and feel for the game are in question, and he’s inexperienced. But the tool chest is overflowing with his size, athleticism and cannon arm.
So it was no surprise that, when Richardson uncorked a 74-yard bomb at Florida’s Pro Day on Thursday, fans and scouts were oohing and aahing at the arm strength and ease that the quarterback has when showcasing such a throw.
My question: What did we think was going to happen?
Richardson might have the Uncle Rico-esque arm strength but that has quite literally never been in question. This is what he does and a throw against air that was scripted weeks ago shouldn’t change that.
It’s the Zach Wilson corollary all over again. Coming out of BYU, Wilson threw a bomb across his body at his Pro Day that sent everyone into a frenzy. And you have to believe that some of that hype led to the Jets taking him No. 2 overall, a decision that has worked out disastrously for New York as they try to replace him with the man from the darkness.
This isn’t to say that Anthony Richardson is going to bust. It is to say that we need to calm down. His arm is impressive — it always has been. But a 74-yard throw should quite literally have no effect on how you feel about the Florida quarterback as a draft prospect.