Colts Cut Ties with QB: Rypien Waived Amid Richardson Rumors

The Indianapolis Colts made a roster move on December 22, 2025 that nobody saw coming—not even the quarterback it affected. They waived Brett Rypien, their third-string signal-caller, to make room for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner coming off injured reserve.

Recent Cut: Brett Rypien waived Dec 2025 · Trade Requests: Anthony Richardson Feb 2025 · Injury Update: Daniel Jones season-ending · GM Statement: Chris Ballard on trade calls

The key facts table below summarizes the most significant roster decisions and trade developments affecting the Colts quarterback room.

Why did the Colts cut Carson Wentz?

The Colts moved on from Carson Wentz after just one season as their starter, triggering a quarterback carousel that has yet to stop spinning. Philadelphia sent Wentz to Indianapolis in a March 2022 trade that cost the Colts a 2022 third-round pick and a 2023 third-round pick, conditional elements that ultimately became a second-rounder when Wentz restructured his contract. By February 2023, with the Colts sitting at No. 4 in the draft, the writing was on the wall: a young quarterback would replace Wentz before his second year in blue and white.

Inside the Colts’ decision to move on from Carson Wentz after just one season

Indianapolis acquired Wentz expecting a franchise quarterback solution after Philip Rivers departed following the 2020 season. Instead, Wentz struggled with consistency and injuries, prompting the Colts to pivot entirely. Rather than wait for Wentz to develop chemistry with the offense, the front office invested heavily in the 2023 draft—ultimately selecting Richardson. The decision reflected impatience with a veteran who never recaptured his Philadelphia form and a belief that a 21-year-old project might offer higher upside.

What happened to the Colts quarterback?

The Colts signed Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million contract in the 2026 offseason, positioning him as the presumed starter after Anthony Richardson lost the competition. Then came a devastating setback: Jones tore his Achilles in Week 14 during a game the Colts were winning 8-5. His season ended instantly. With Jones out and Richardson’s status unresolved, Indianapolis turned to Philip Rivers as a bridge option and Riley Leonard as depth, calling up Brett Rypien from the practice squad—only to cut him loose weeks later when roster space was needed for DeForest Buckner.

Colts QB Daniel Jones back to throwing

Despite the injury, Jones has resumed throwing as he works back from the Achilles tear. The $88 million investment suggests Indianapolis is counting on him to return healthy for 2026, but an Achilles at his age raises legitimate durability questions. Whether Jones can return to form remains the defining unknown for the Colts’ rebuild.

Colts qb injury updates

Richardson also suffered a significant injury in 2025—a freak orbital fracture that ended his season early. He has since been medically cleared and was activated from injured reserve, though his future with the team remains tied to trade discussions. The Colts have weathered injuries at quarterback before, but the compounding nature of the position’s instability—Rypien cut, Richardson trade-requested, Jones lost—underscores how fragile the depth chart has become.

Will the Colts trade Anthony Richardson?

On April 21, 2026, Colts general manager Chris Ballard addressed the Richardson situation directly. “We’ve had trade calls about QB Anthony Richardson but nothing’s come to fruition at this time,” Ballard said, according to NFL.com’s report. Ballard acknowledged Richardson’s injury misfortune while stopping short of declaring him available: “He’s had some freaking bad luck, but I still think Anthony has got a lot of ability.” The GM left the door open for Richardson to stay, though he confirmed the team granted Richardson permission to explore a trade at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

“We’ve had some calls, but nothing’s come to fruition at this time.”

— Chris Ballard, Colts General Manager, NFL.com

Colts General Manager Provides Update on QB Anthony Richardson

Ballard’s statement represents the most concrete acknowledgment from the organization about the Richardson situation. It confirms what many suspected: talks have occurred, but interested teams have not met Indianapolis’s asking price. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick from 2023, went 6-5 as a starter before the injury-plagued 2025 season derailed his momentum. His trade request was mutual, according to NFL.com video coverage, with both player and team agreeing to explore options.

Trade calls reported by GM Chris Ballard

The trade discussions reportedly link Richardson to the Arizona Cardinals, with one proposed framework involving a 2026 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round pick in return, per Horseshoe Heroes trade speculation. The Green Bay Packers were also rumored as a potential destination, with Richardson as a possible backup behind Jordan Love. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported no real conversations materialized between the Packers and Colts.

Who will be the Colts QB in 2026?

The Colts face a crossroads at quarterback heading into 2026. If they commit to Jones, they’re betting $88 million and a full recovery on a player who has never started more than nine games in any season. If they keep Richardson, they’re betting on upside that has yet to translate into consistent production—and weathering the distraction of a quarterback who requested his exit just months earlier. The organization has already lost patience with one high draft pick at the position. Whether Richardson gets a third year to prove himself depends on whether the Colts find a trade partner willing to pay the price.

Colts QB 2025 depth chart implications

The December waiver of Rypien left the Colts with Rivers and Leonard as their active quarterbacks for the stretch run. Richardson, medically cleared but not yet activated, sat on the reserve list. The Rypien move itself may signal the team expects Richardson back on the roster soon—clearing a roster spot for the extra defensive tackle suggests they’re prioritizing the present while preparing for Richardson’s eventual return. The depth chart remains fluid, with the 2026 offseason likely to bring wholesale changes.

Despite return of GM, coach and QB, Colts face changes

Ballard and head coach remain in place, but the quarterback position has not stabilized under their watch. From Rivers to Wentz to the current uncertainty around Richardson, the Colts have cycled through quarterbacks at a pace that suggests the front office has yet to find an answer at the position. Whether the organization resets around Jones for 2026 or continues exploring a Richardson trade will define the next chapter of this saga.

What did Philip Rivers do?

Philip Rivers spent four seasons (2013–2020) with the Chargers and one final year with the Colts in 2020, retiring after a single playoff loss to the Bills. He stayed retired for five years before the Colts called him back amid their quarterback crisis in late 2025, signing the 43-year-old to fill the gap left by injuries. The move drew attention from across the league, including Tom Brady, who joked he could still play himself if teams were hiring older quarterbacks.

“I certainly could still play.”

— Tom Brady, commenting on Philip Rivers’ Colts comeback

Philip Rivers return after 5 years

Rivers came out of retirement in December 2025 as the Colts scrambled after Jones went down. He was not expected to be a long-term solution—merely a steadying presence for a team still mathematically alive in the playoff race. His signing underscored how thin the QB depth had become following the Richardson trade request and the subsequent roster churn.

Tom Brady comments on Rivers comeback

Brady’s quip reflected the absurdity of a 43-year-old retired quarterback signing with a team that had invested heavily in younger options. The comment carried an implicit message: if Rivers can still draw interest, the market for experienced quarterbacks remains surprisingly active. Whether Brady was genuinely impressed or simply ribbing a rival, his acknowledgment added a layer of legitimacy to the Rivers signing.

Related reading: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets player stats · Mundial de Clubes 2025 schedule

As the Colts reshape their quarterback room by waiving Rypien amid Richardson buzz, their 49ers-Colts Week 16 stats exposed key defensive lapses in the 48-27 defeat.

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