The Indianapolis Colts are making a change of direction. Now, they’ve turned their attention to the desperate, but critically important, task of raising their rookie franchise QB Anthony Richardson right. After a midseason benching that raised eyebrows, Richardson’s recent performances have garnered praise from General Manager Chris Ballard, who is keen on accelerating the young quarterback’s growth.
Ballard highlighted Richardson’s notable performance in a recent victory against the New York Jets, where his skills shone through despite earlier setbacks. The Colts’ leadership understands that they can’t draft the same way and expect different results going forward. With training camp just around the corner, they’re clearly excited to get moving in a new direction.
Richardson, who is still more than six weeks shy of his 23rd birthday on May 22, has shown flashes of his potential on the field. One standout moment was a clutch, game-sealing first-down throw against the Tennessee Titans, demonstrating his ability to perform under pressure. Ballard did admit that Richardson’s form is still hit-or-miss—an overall issue for young quarterbacks adjusting to life in the pros.
The Colts know that honing Richardson’s raw talent is of the utmost importance. With the pressure to win games mounting, they understand that this is no longer an option—it’s imperative. The Jaguars’ new regime has promised to develop Richardson’s upside but they’ve added competition for him in the form of Walker Little. Just last week, the Indianapolis Colts inked QB Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14M deal. This latest move further paves the way for a fascinating competition during training camp. As both players continue to share practice reps, they’ll compete against each other for the starting spot going into the regular season.
Through his first two NFL seasons, Richardson has struggled with consistency and playing time due to injury. Sadly, he’s been unavailable for a whopping 17 games. His 50.6% completion rate speaks to both the difficulties he’s encountered as well as the unfinished business ahead of us. Ballard said he was confident in Richardson’s potential even with these obstacles. He said the organization respects Richardson’s talent and recognizes that he has a great deal left to learn.
The Colts’ decision to ramp up the urgency around Richardson’s development comes after he started only 13 games at Florida. He came to regret such a narrow college experience. His expectations shouldn’t have been much more than that initial big-picture progress as he adjusts to what it takes to succeed in professional football.
As training camp nears, both Richardson and Jones will have a fairly level playing field to prove themselves and what they can do. This competition is what drives innovation and development. It further demonstrates the Colts’ commitment to creating an ironclad QB foundation for years to come.
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