Anthony Richardson & 2 Other Colts Face Epic Test as Indianapolis Takes Blame for QB’s Troubles

When Anthony Richardson was drafted in 2023, he was a sure thing. You know, one of those deals you sign and forget about because you won’t need to worry about their stock as a player. The front office surely advertised him that way, like a phenomenal starter who would lead them to the Lombardi Trophy. But it didn’t really pan out that way. For the Colts, Richardson showed flashes of potential. But after last season, there were writings on the wall. He completed only 47.7% of passes and missed 4 games because of injuries. But this wasn’t the end of Richardson’s problems. Not by a long shot.

After an 8-9 season, the Colts needed another plan, as Anthony Richardson wasn’t going to cut it. They signed Daniel Jones through free agency and set him up to compete with Richardson. Daniel Jones was fresh out of his time with the Giants and ready to prove his worth on a new team. While Daniel Jones is going to be competing for the QB1 position, it leaves Richardson’s once glorious future hanging in the balance. But it’s not Richardson’s fault if you listen to the words around the league. Richardson didn’t get enough time to develop on the gridiron, be it his injuries or even coach Shane Steichen‘s decision to bench him for 2 games. But will he get more time this season? Well, that depends. 

 As CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin put it, “Richardson isn’t entirely to blame for his early career struggles, but coach Shane Steichen all but declared the Florida product unprepared after his initial benching – Cue this offseason, when the team paid a surprisingly steep price for former New York Giants castoff Daniel Jones. – Money talks, and Jones’ $14 million contract puts him well above standard backups. We’d expect Richardson to have the edge as the incumbent when on-field work begins, but no jobs will be promised this time around.” No jobs “promised this time around”, that doesn’t bode well for Richardson. Daniel Jones is 27 and comes with a lot more starting experience because of his time with the Giants. Anthony Richardson, 22, does have a lot more room to grow, but time isn’t on his side.

Anthony Richardson throwing at #Colts practice today.

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— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 6, 2025

Anthony Richardson has missed 19 games in his first two years with the Colts. However, the team believes Richardson can learn from Jones and meet the expectations as a QB1. CBS’s Jared Dubin said, “The Colts brought in ‘competition’ for Richardson in the form of Daniel Jones, but we’re going to treat him as the starter here, nonetheless.” And Richardson is eager to learn from the experienced QB he has to compete against. “The main thing I want to learn from him is how to navigate the pressure of everything, how to navigate when things aren’t going the best how you stay with it and stay focused and just keep grinding, and also how to work,” Richardson’s words clearly indicate he’s gearing up to develop and lead the Colts.

Talking about the QB competition, coach Steichen had also said, “We’re going to see how it all plays out through OTAs and training camp – It’s really going to come down to who is the most consistent with the job. – On the field, you’ve got to be consistent, take care of the football, make good decisions with the football and really move your offense down the field.” While the Colts take the heat for not giving their QB1 enough time and opportunity to develop, their QB situation isn’t the end of their troubles. There are two more players who could be causes for concern for the Colts.

Anthony Richardson’s not facing the heat alone in the Colts

Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones boils down to who will be the most consistent. Daniel’s Giants experience, or Richardson’s pure drive. But that’s not all the Colts are worried about. Their cornerback and edge-rusher positions are also a little worrying. GM Chris Ballard has made a lot of moves this offseason for the future of the Colts. They added 8 rookies in the draft. Daniel Jones isn’t the only offseason addition outside the draft that’s shook the position rooms.

NFL, American Football Herren, USA Combine Mar 1, 2023 Indianapolis, IN, USA Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20230301_szo_al2_0450

Charvarius Ward joined the Colts through free agency. Justin Walley was a 3rd round draft pick this year. Both of these cornerbacks will now compete with JuJu Brents. In his first two seasons, Brent only appeared in 11 games, and last season that number boiled down to two games. His injuries haven’t been kind to him. Now he faces the challenge of being replaced by starting QB Charvarius. The rookie Walley will also try to show his talents. If Brent can stay healthy and show out during training camp, he might still be in the game for a longer run. Apart from this, fifth-year Kwity Paye also faces a similar situation.

Edge rusher Kwity Paye enters his fifth year with a lot to prove. Like Richardson, Paye joined the Colts with sky-high expectations. He had delivered about 8 sacks each in the past two seasons, but those numbers don’t match up to the Colts’ expectations. This year’s drafts saw the addition of DE J.T. Tuimoloau. Tuimoloau already has a national title with 12.5 total sacks in his last college year. Even last year, Laiatu Latu joined their ranks. If Kwity shows up and shows out in his fifth year, he will retain his seat at the Colts’ table. If not, he could very well walk into free agency next year.

With so many changes in the roster, the Colts are clearly gearing up to fight for the Super Bowl. This year’s season is gonna be a hit or miss for a lot of players. What remains to be seen is how these players stack up to the expectations we have from them.

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