Daniel Jones Anthony Richardson Colts QB Colts News Comeback Player of the Year
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Colts quarterback Daniel Jones.
Daniel Jones has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback job following Anthony Richardson’s latest injury setback, so much so that one analyst is already eyeing him to win a major NFL award.
In a series of “way-too-early bold predictions” for the 2025 season, NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha predicted Jones will not only win the Colts’ starting quarterback job but also reignite his career to the point that he wins the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2025.
A convincing bounce-back season for Jones with the Colts could make him eligible for the award after his time with the New York Giants ended with the team releasing him roughly 18 months into the four-year, $160 million contract he signed in March 2023.
“Now, Jones gets to work with a creative offensive head coach in Shane Steichen, who happens to be the same man who helped take Jalen Hurts from raw talent to MVP-caliber quarterback in Philadelphia,” Chadiha wrote. “Steichen likes quarterbacks who can move, and his time with Hurts proved that he could think outside of the box when it comes to maximizing a signal-caller’s strengths. Steichen easily could be the man to take Jones to another level, especially when considering the Colts have better skill players and offensive line play than Jones ever enjoyed in New York.
“Nobody saw [Sam] Darnold taking off when he arrived in Minnesota. Jones could do similar things in Indy if he stays healthy.”
Daniel Jones Has Impressed Colts Coaches Thus Far
Jones has much to prove with the Colts in 2025 before talk of postseason accolades can begin, but the 28-year-old has already taken the first step with his coaches this spring.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Jones stood out to Colts coaches as “very sharp” as a decision-maker at the line of scrimmage throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Fowler added that he also showed “good chemistry” with the team’s wide receivers in the three months since he signed his one-year, $14 million contract on March 13.
Even Steichen glowed about Jones when talking about him at mandatory minicamp.
“Very pleased with what we got right now. He’s been doing a hell of a job,” he said on June 12. “Really smart football player. Learned the offense very quickly, making really good decisions out there through OTAs. Obviously, want to carry that over to training camp, but he’s done a really good job. Great command in the huddle. Ultimate pro.”
Early promise in offseason workouts will not wipe the stink off Jones’ reputation after a miserable finish to his Giants career, but it should still encourage Colts fans about the immediate future while they await the next update on Richardson’s return to the field.
How Much Time Will Anthony Richardson Miss in Camp?
Given some more time, the big question surrounding the Colts in 2025 could become: Can Daniel Jones help them win the AFC South title for the first time since 2014?
Nearing the end of June, however, the most important question remains: Will Anthony Richardson return to the field in time to put up a real fight for the Colts’ starting job?
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on June 13 that Richardson “should be healthy” in time for the start of training camp, but it could take until his shoulder is re-evaluated for the Colts to know for certain whether he will need to miss any time in practice.
Steichen said Richardson is dealing with an aggravation of the AC joint in his throwing shoulder, which is the same area that required surgery when he injured it and missed 13 games for the Colts during his 2023 rookie season. While Richardson will avoid surgery this time around — at least, for now — the Colts may consider taking it slow with him.
Even if he does return immediately, Richardson will have some catching up to do after missing the majority of OTAs. His inconsistent performance is as much of a reason why the Colts signed Jones as his unreliable health, and he will need to earn his job against a more experienced veteran in 2025 if he wants to remain the Colts’ starting quarterback.