Anthony Richardson

Daniel Jones Holds ‘Significant’ Lead On Anthony Richardson For Colts’ QB1 Job

June 24th, 2025 at 9:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Daniel Jones made the strange jump from a player who underwhelmed wildly on a pricey second contract to one who did not earn a backup job — after signing with the Vikings — into one who has the inside track to start for the Colts a year later.

The latest Trade Rumors Front Office piece explored this dynamic, noting how rare it is for a team to use eight Week 1 starting quarterbacks in a nine-season span (and the big-picture impact Jones suddenly seems to have in Indianapolis). As it stands, Jones is on track to become Indianapolis’ eighth Week 1 starting QB since Andrew Luck‘s shoulder injury shelved him for the entire 2017 season.

Because Richardson missed time during Indy’s offseason program due to reaggravating a shoulder issue that once required surgery, The Athletic’s James Boyd notes Jones has a “significant” lead to become the team’s Week 1 starter. This was set to be an even competition, but with one participant losing so much time and entering after glaring accuracy issues, Jones is poised to benefit.

Based on Richardson’s career arc, this should not surprise. The Colts expressed considerable disappointment in the former No. 4 overall pick last season, benching him for performance and maturity issues, and they have seen him miss 17 games — due to myriad issues — because of injury. Richardson joined first-round busts Akili Smith, JaMarcus Russell and Tim Tebow among the select few of 21st-century QBs to attempt at least 200 passes in a season and complete fewer than 50% of them. On the heels of the Florida product’s concerning 2024, the Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14MM deal that included $13.15MM fully guaranteed.

The Giants demoted Jones after starting 2-8 last season, making the predictable move due in part because of a $23MM injury guaranteed that would have vested had the then-starter failed a March 2025 physical. While the Giants’ benching avoided that money from entering the equation, they cut their six-year starter in November and preempted a post-June 1 2025 release — one that would have allowed them to split the dead money (from Jones’ signing bonus) — as a tool to move on. The Vikings did not sign Jones from their practice squad until January 7, and they still made him a healthy scratch for their wild-card game against the Rams.

Indy’s issues finding a post-Luck solution, with Richardson struggling to become the answer after a line of veterans stopped through town, led to the team outbidding the Vikings for Jones in March. Minnesota made one-year offers to Jones and Darnold, undoubtedly extending a larger proposal to the latter, but did not end up — after passing on an interested Aaron Rodgers — adding a notable bridge option. J.J. McCarthy is almost certain to start in Week 1, as the Colts emerged in the Jones mix days before the legal tampering period. A viable path to a starting job sold Jones on Indy.

Although the Colts have not revealed a Richardson timetable, the third-year passer expects to be ready by the start of training camp. He has now been in Shane Steichen‘s system for three offseasons, but a player that only started one season in college has not logged the reps the team hoped for since being drafted. And his decision to ask out of a Texans game for a play became a flashpoint regarding simmering maturity issues.

Richardson will still have a shot to topple Jones in the fight for the Colts’ starting gig in camp, but he will reenter that pursuit behind on the scorecards.

Colts’ Anthony Richardson Expects To Return By Training Camp

June 23rd, 2025 at 8:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is expecting to recover from a shoulder injury suffered during OTAs in time for training camp in July, per CBS Sports’ Zach Goodall.

Richardson said that he is “all good” and downplayed his recent injury as “not really even a bump in the road. However, it is a worrying sign for a former top-five pick who only played 15 games in his first two seasons. Richardson was already considered a raw prospect coming out of college, and his struggles to stay on the field have stunted his development in the pros.

Even when Richardson has been healthy, he has not been a starting-caliber quarterback. In 2024, he completed less than 50% of his passes and threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (eight). That caused the Colts to bring in Daniel Jones for $14MM this offseason as legitimate competition for the starting quarterback job.

Missing minicamp may not have put Richardson behind Jones, who had to learn a new offense, but an extended absence could put him at a disadvantage against the former Giant. Jones may have lost his starting job in New York, but he has still performed better than his new teammate in the last two years.

Richardson is determined, however, to not let his latest setback sideline him for training camp.

“I feel like I tripped, I fell,” continued Richardson (via Goodall). “Just got back up and hit the ground running again.”

Colts To Work Out QB Desmond Ridder

June 10th, 2025 at 2:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Anthony Richardson‘s concerning form when healthy played a major part in Daniel Jones‘ arrival, the Colts have continued to see the former No. 4 overall pick run into injury trouble. That is again the case, with the third-year player set to miss minicamp with a new malady.

A Richardson shoulder issue has left Jones a clear runway to work with Indianapolis’ first-stringers this week, but the team will also look at an experienced backup option at minicamp. Desmond Ridder will participate at the Colts’ mandatory workouts, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder notes.

Given command of the Falcons’ offense well before their 2023 training camp, Ridder could not keep the job throughout the season and was then traded to the Cardinals straight up for Rondale Moore. Ridder washed out quickly in Arizona, failing to make the team’s 53-man roster out of training camp. That led him to Las Vegas, but as another new coaching staff took over, it did not prioritize Ridder. The Raiders nontendered the former third-round pick as an RFA, after he appeared in six games and made one 2024 start, and he has remained in unrestricted free agency since.

A Broncos workout possibility emerged last month, but it turned out Sean Payton‘s team did not have such plans. Ridder will now make a case he can be a Colts backup. The Broncos added ex-Indy reserve Sam Ehlinger as a third-stringer this offseason, but the Colts soon addressed the position in the draft by choosing Riley Leonard in Round 6. Leonard joins second-year UDFA Jason Bean as healthy options at Colts minicamp.

Richardson’s second opinion did not reveal anything different from his first, according to Fox59’s Mike Chappell. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the QB’s 2023 shoulder surgery, concurred with the Colts regarding a rest-based rehab program. Shane Steichen said Tuesday no timetable is in place, but Richardson will be expected back either before or during training camp. He has yet to be cleared to resume throwing, but missing this week certainly will deal a blow to the Florida product’s chances of beginning a third season as the Colts’ starter.

Colts QB Anthony Richardson To Miss Time With Shoulder Injury

June 5th, 2025 at 9:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Anthony Richardson has encountered another injury setback. The third-year Colts quarterback is dealing with a shoulder injury which will keep him out of minicamp, head coach Shane Steichen announced on Thursday.

The affected shoulder – which recently experienced soreness – is the same one in which Richardson suffered an AC joint sprain in 2023, as noted by ESPN’s Stephen Holder. That injury ended his rookie campaign after just four games and cost the former No. 4 pick development time. The same is now true in this case.

No surgery will be required this time around, but Richardson will nevertheless miss valuable spring reps during his bid to earn the starting gig. Steichen added (via James Boyd of The Athletic) no timeline is in place for a return but noted he hopes Richardson will be back at some point during during training camp. The latter entered this offseason in an open competition with Daniel Jones for the QB1 spot based on his missed time and underwhelming play when healthy. This latest setback will give Jones additional first-team reps.

After his Giants tenure came to an end, Jones finished the 2024 season in Minnesota. Just like Sam Darnold, though, he departed in free agency. The 28-year-old took a contract with a base value of $14MM this spring and in doing so became an option to see considerable time atop the Colts’ depth chart this season. Steichen has previously made it clear Richardson and Jones would evenly split first-team reps during OTAs, a plan indicating the extent to which the position was unsettled based on how things transpired last year.

Richardson avoided a major injury during his second season in Indianapolis, but he still missed some time for that reason. The Florida product also found himself benched in favor of Joe Flacco at one point while posting a completion percentage of just 47.7% and a negative touchdown-to-interception ratio (8:12) on the year. Major improvement will be needed if Richardson is to solidify himself as an NFL starter.

Next spring, the Colts will need to decide on Richardson’s 2027 fifth-year option. That call will depend in large part on how he performs this season, something which will of course require winning the competition with Jones. For the time being, though, only the latter will be available for on-field work.

Colts HC Shane Steichen Addresses QB Competition Schedule

May 29th, 2025 at 12:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this offseason, Colts head coach Shane Steichen said the evaluation of Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones will begin during spring practices. He offered further details on the team’s quarterback competition at the onset of OTAs.

“We’re breaking down the reps,” Steichen said (via a team transcript) when asked about how the workload will be split between Richardson and Jones over the course of Organized Team Activities. “I think through OTAs, we’ve got nine good practices. They’ll both get about 170 reps apiece with those guys, with the ones and twos, and we’ll flip-flop them.”

Richardson immediately took on starting duties as a rookie despite his limited playing time in college. The Florida product only managed four games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, limiting his time to develop at the NFL level. In 2024, Richardson’s accuracy struggles continued with a completion percentage of just 47.7% and he found himself being replaced by Joe Flacco at one point during the year. Flacco’s departure left Indianapolis in need of a new veteran capable of handling QB1 duties.

That resulted in the Jones deal. His one-year pact has a base value of $14MM, nearly all of which is guaranteed. Incentives are also in place which could increase the former Giant’s 2025 earnings and potentially help his market value for next spring. Of course, a long run with Jones atop the depth chart would be an indication Richardson was unable to earn the starting gig in Year 3.

Such a development would not be welcomed by the team after making Richardson the fourth overall selection in 2023. After the coming season ends, a decision will need to be made on the 23-year-old’s fifth-year option. Exercising it would keep Richardson in place through 2027, although a notable step forward will be needed for such a commitment to be feasible. In the meantime, his attention will be aimed at preparing for a healthy campaign and outperforming Jones.

Midway through his ill-fated Giants extension, the former No. 6 pick was waived. Jones landed a deal with the Vikings to close out the year, but – just like Sam Darnold – he departed on the open market in search of his best chance to serve as a starting quarterback again. A path to that role clearly exists in Indianapolis, and it will be interesting to see if the even split in reps yields a clear frontrunner for the QB1 gig in the near future.

Colts To Begin QB Competition During Spring Practices

March 31st, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Daniel Jones elected to depart the Vikings in free agency by taking a deal with the Colts. The former Giants first-rounder did so because he felt the move gave him a better chance at operating as a starter.

Jones will collect a base value of $14MM on his one-year Indianapolis contract, a sign of his opportunity to handle QB1 duties. If that is to take place, he will need to outperform incumbent Anthony Richardson. The latter has not developed as hoped during his two seasons in the NFL, creating the need for veteran competition. Head coach Shane Steichen confirmed on Monday the evaluation of both Jones and Richardson will begin during upcoming offseason workouts.

“It’ll start in the spring,” Steichen said of the competition (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star). “They’re going to split the [first-team] reps through practice and going into training camp, and really, it’s going to come down to who’s the most consistent, who’s the most productive, will be the starter.”

Selected fourth overall in 2023, Richardson faced questions upon arrival in the NFL based on his lack of starts in college and issues related injuries and accuracy. He won the starting position right away as a rookie, but a shoulder injury limited him to only four contests. The 22-year-old made 11 starts last season, one in which he found himself benched in favor of Joe Flacco at one point.

Steichen added the decision to bring in a veteran capable of earning the starting gig was made immediately after the season ended. Consistency will be a requirement in Richardson’s case if he is to operate atop the depth chart in 2025 and beyond. The Florida product completed only 47.7% of his pass attempts last season, and matching improved accuracy with his high rushing upside, will be necessary this offseason.

Jones’ Giants tenure ended when he was waived midway through the 2024 campaign. He did not see any game action with the Vikings, but he will have the opportunity to change that situation with the Colts starting in the near future.

Colts’ New QB Will Compete With Anthony Richardson

February 25th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Colts are planning to add a quarterback this offseason and hold an “open” competition with Anthony Richardson for the starting quarterback job, according to general manager Chris Ballard.

“It’s got to be the right guy to create real competition,” said Ballard (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder), adding that such competition would be good for Richardson and the team as a whole. The Colts have struggled to develop Richardson since taking him fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, in no small part due to his injuries. The 22-year-old has missed 17 of 34 regular season games since being drafted, which is especially detrimental to a player who was considered a raw prospect coming out of college.

“We drafted Anthony high knowing it was going to take some time and we knew there’s going to be some hiccups along the way,” continued Ballard. “I know we all want a finished product right now…But I think as he continues to progress in his young career, us adding competition, I think, will help up everybody’s game.”

The Colts still believe that Richardson can eventually refine his physical gifts into a more finished product on the field. They hope that the competition will spur faster improvements while giving them an alternate option at quarterback to remain competitive if Richardson struggles.

“We’ve had good conversations,” said Ballard. “Anthony’s accepted all of it. He understands there needs to be some growth and there’s work.”

Both Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen mentioned consistency as a key area of improvement for Richardson. He completed a league-low 47.7% of his passing attempts in 2024 with a league-high 4.5% interception rate.

As for the new quarterback, Ballard said that the Colts will be looking to free agency, the draft, and even the trade market. Their investment will reflect their faith in Richardson to develop into a franchise quarterback. Spending a first-round pick or pursuing a premium veteran like Sam Darnold would signal a willingness to move on from Richardson just two years after drafting him. A later draft pick or lesser free agent like Mac Jones would indicate more belief in Richardson’s ability to overcome a slow start to his career. Justin Fields may be an ideal blend of investment and starting potential, especially since his mobility would fit well in Indianapolis’s offense.

Colts Open To Adding QB To Compete With Anthony Richardson

January 8th, 2025 at 12:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Colts are readying to run back their Anthony Richardson plan for 2025, it would seem the team would need better insurance based on the events of this season.

Becoming one of just seven QBs to complete less than 50% of his passes (minimum 200 attempts) in the 21st century, Richardson sported the lowest completion percentage by an NFL starter since Tim Tebow‘s 2011 showing. The 2023 No. 4 overall pick connected on just 47.7% of his throws, an untenable rate at this level. The Colts, however, are staying the course with both Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen. This figures to buy Richardson more time.

Displaying top-shelf athleticism, Richardson has battled concerns about his work ethic and has regressed in the passing game. The talented runner received Jim Irsay‘s support to be a Week 1 starter in 2023, but Ballard later said he wished the team did not play the one-year Florida starter at all as a rookie. Richardson playing in 2023 led to a season-ending shoulder injury, one of a few ailments the 6-foot-4 pro has dealt with, and the Colts benched him midway through this season. These developments raise the stakes for Richardson in 2025.

Steichen said this week he is open to a scenario in which the Colts add a passer who competes with Richardson for the job (via the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson), indicating he would discuss that prospect with Ballard. Considering Richardson’s form this season and the Colts’ HC-GM duo’s seat temperatures rising, it would be surprising if the Colts did not at least sign a high-end backup option in free agency.

Richardson not making significant progress next season will intensify calls for Ballard and Steichen’s jobs, as this front office will be on the hook for a draft blunder. The Colts had committed to finding a rookie answer after seeing a host of veterans not adequately replace Andrew Luck. The best of those options, Philip Rivers, retired after one season, leading to the Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan one-offs. Richardson has proven far less capable as a passer than either, his penchant for splashy downfield strikes (on occasion, that is) notwithstanding.

Joe Flacco wants to play an age-40 season, but he is not a realistic option to push Richardson for a starting job. Justin Fields might end up being too costly, but if the Steelers sour on Russell Wilson after a sluggish stretch run, the 36-year-old passer could be in the Colts’ price range. A Fields-Richardson competition, if the current Steeler backup’s market does not take off, would be an interesting skillset mashup, however.

Daniel Jones is also coming off a six-year starter run and would be a bridge option. The Colts also talked to UFA-to-be Jameis Winston before trading for Ryan in 2022. Kirk Cousins may remind of Ryan at this stage of his career, but he should still have a market. His days of commanding high salaries are likely over, though, and the Falcons will be on the hook for much of his 2025 salary. This creates a situation in which Cousins could follow Wilson’s path and sign for the veteran minimum, as Atlanta pays the bulk of his salary.

Beyond those potential starters, a host of backup types are set to be available. Old friend Jacoby Brissett looks on track to leave the Patriots, while Jimmy Garoppolo, Andy Dalton and Case Keenum check in as proven backups. Two of Fields’ 2021 first-round peers — Zach Wilson and Trey Lance — would not be startable options, though Mac Jones could conceivably make a case as a low-end bridge after showing some flashes after Trevor Lawrence‘s injury. Gardner Minshew, the player who filled this role to modest success in 2023, figures to be available again soon — once the Raiders cut bait — as well. The Colts had expressed interest in keeping Minshew but saw his Raiders offer exceed their comfort zone.

Anthony Richardson Battling Back Injury; Latest On Colts’ QB, GM Situations

January 2nd, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Anthony Richardson has not taken sufficient steps forward in Year 2, calling his future in Indianapolis into question. As the Colts attempted to sideline him to compete for the playoffs around Joe Flacco, Plan B did not work thanks to the 39-year-old’s struggles. This leaves a franchise that has been starved for a quarterback since Andrew Luck‘s retirement again facing a foggy future.

Although the plan is for Richardson to start for a third season, GM Chris Ballard said recently (via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer and James Boyd) the team should not have turned to the former No. 4 overall pick as a starter as a rookie in 2023. Ballard said the Colts should have parked Richardson on the bench in a developmental year. Jim Irsay is believed to have driven the bus for Richardson to start, calling behind the scenes for the high-end prospect to play immediately.

This was not Irsay’s first QB-driven directive in recent years, as the owner had previously called for the Colts to dump Carson Wentz after one season, pushed Ballard to acquire Matt Ryan via trade and then insisted the team bench Ryan for Sam Ehlinger midseason (just before the Jeff Saturday decision, which Ballard attempted to stop). The team’s Richardson pick, which initially came out of a Morocco Brown scouting mission, also took place after assistant GM Ed Dodds called his one season as a college starter “a rollercoaster,” per Boyd and Keefer. Richardson’s 2024 season has proven that to be a telling assessment.

Richardson has completed a woeful 47.7% of his passes, being all set to become just the seventh QB to finish a 21st-century season south of the 50% barrier on at least 200 attempts. The Colts’ decision to bench Richardson and then reinsert him into the starting lineup two weeks later, after Flacco could not match his 2023 Browns work, “really affected the team,” in the words of one anonymous player. Another unnamed Colt informed The Athletic of a lack of vision coming from the franchise, which is set to miss the playoffs for the sixth time in Ballard’s eight seasons as GM.

In Ballard’s defense, he has built a roster that has produced a host of Pro Bowl-level players — from Quenton Nelson to Jonathan Taylor to Kenny Moore. The GM also saw Luck abruptly retire just before the 2019 season, but the team’s inability to find a successor has reminded of the Broncos’ run of misses following Peyton Manning‘s retirement. Richardson has followed Philip Rivers, Wentz, Ryan and Gardner Minshew — the latter in place only because of Richardson’s 2023 shoulder injury — as primary Colts QB starters in the 2020s. None of Indianapolis’ plans have produced consistent success, with the team still yet to recover from a disastrous Week 18 loss to the Jaguars as two-touchdown favorites in a game that denied a playoff berth in 2021.

Irsay has spoken highly of Ballard in the past, keeping him around despite the Frank Reich firing, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes “murmurs” regarding a potential change have emerged in connection with this job. An unnamed GM also told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora that Irsay is certainly thinking about firing Ballard, though the anonymous exec said it would still surprise if the owner moved on after this season. If the owner does not can his GM, Ballard’s seat will be hot entering the 2025 offseason.

It is also true Irsay’s meddling — at both quarterback and other spots, highlighted by the 2023 Taylor standoff — has undercut his GM, which would make this a potentially difficult position to fill with a quality candidate. But Ballard’s inward-focused 2024 offseason approach has not yielded results. Granted, Richardson’s struggles have had plenty to do with that. DeForest Buckner joined Ryan Kelly and others in speaking to Richardson after his benching, with the Pro Bowl defensive tackle indicating (via The Athletic) he signed his two-year, $46MM re-up largely because he believed in the athletic QB talent. Richardson’s lack of preparation played into the organization’s initial benching call, which famously came after he asked to leave the Colts-Texans matchup due to fatigue.

This season is also not ending well for Richardson, who is battling a potentially significant back injury. Shane Steichen said an MRI revealed a disk issue that “might be chronic,” though the second-year QB does not believe he will need surgery, via Boyd. Richardson said this week his back issue was severe enough he could not stand. Richardson added (via Fox59’s Brett Bensley) he has dealt with back issues since eighth grade, though they have not been this severe before. It certainly sounds like Flacco will start in Week 18 and that Richardson will enter the offseason with some rehab to complete, which reminds of his 2024 offseason.

It would stand to reason the Colts will seek another veteran backup to replace Flacco, as Richardson would at least need to be backstopped — both due to injury and performance — in 2025. If the plan indeed remains Richardson-centric, Steichen and Ballard would be on the hook to answer for the pick should it end up backfiring and leave the Colts again in need at the game’s premier position. That is, if both power brokers are back for the 2025 season.

Colts Plan To Have Anthony Richardson Serve As QB1 In 2025

December 29th, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Rory Parks

A report from earlier this month suggested that the Indianapolis future of Colts’ second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson is uncertain and could be tied to the fate of the man who drafted him, general manager Chris Ballard. And, since the club is at risk of missing the playoffs for the sixth time in Ballard’s eight years as the front office boss, the GM’s job may not be safe.

However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Colts plan to move forward with Richardson as their starting signal-caller in 2025. The No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 draft was benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco in Week 9, but Flacco did not play well in Week 9 or Week 10 (both losses), and Richardson was reinserted into the starting lineup in Week 11.

One of the reasons for Richardson’s demotion was his lack of adequate pre-game preparation, but the club is pleased with how the young passer responded to the benching and the improvements he has made to his preparation and attention to detail. Since his return, the Colts have posted a 3-2 record, and the Florida product has shown flashes during that stretch.

His accuracy is still cause for concern, as he has connected on just 47.7% of his pass attempts this season and has thrown eight TDs against 12 interceptions. He has not shown a marked improvement in that regard since he regained his starting job, as he has tossed four TDs against five interceptions and has completed 51.1% of his passes in the last five games.

Richardson’s health issues are also troubling. He played in just four games in his rookie campaign due to a sprained AC joint, and even before his benching this year, he missed two games due to an oblique injury. He will miss today’s critical matchup with the Giants as a result of foot and back issues.

That said, the current ailments are not considered long-term ones, per Rapoport, and since Richardson will not have to spend the upcoming offseason focusing on rehab as he did last offseason, the hope is that he will be able to further develop his fundamentals. Plus, despite his accuracy woes, the big-armed passer is still capable of making plays through the air and on the ground (he leads the league with 14.4 yards gained per pass completion and has rushed for nearly 500 yards and six scores while maintaining a 5.8 yards-per-carry average).

Rapoport suggests that head coach Shane Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter will be retained for 2025, noting that the two coaches and Richardson hope to find sustained success together next season. He does not, though, mention Ballard in his report, so it is theoretically still possible that owner Jim Irsay elects to move on from his top executive. In such a scenario, the new hire may feel differently about Richardson’s upside and could seek to go in a different direction under center.

Load More Posts