Two years ago, the Indianapolis Colts made Anthony Richardson the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now, Daniel Jones is here to push him for the starting role. Plus, Richardson has made just 15 starts since, which isn’t exactly what the Colts had in mind after he won the starting job as a rookie.
Yet, Richardson’s biggest downfall has been his inability to stay healthy, with shoulder injuries being the biggest detriment to his availability. The Colts still love Richardson’s superstar potential as a dual-threat with a rocket arm, but that didn’t prevent them from signing a legit contender for the starting job.
Specifically, the Colts signed another former first-round pick in Jones, the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, the former New York Giants quarterback brings 70 NFL starts with him to the Colts.
Now, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd, Jones “has already taken a significant lead” in the Colts’ starting quarterback competition. Though, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll remain in that role by the end of training camp, especially now that Richardson has returned to health.
“Daniel Jones is QB1 (for now). The Colts signed the ex-Giants/Vikings quarterback in free agency to challenge Anthony Richardson for the QB1 title in Indy, and Jones has already taken a significant lead in what was supposed to be a wide-open quarterback competition. Richardson, the 2023 No. 4 pick, aggravated the surgically repaired AC joint in his throwing shoulder May 29 and was shut down for the rest of the spring. There is no timetable for his return, per Colts coach Shane Steichen, which further positions Jones to take over as the Week 1 starter.”
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Of course, it doesn’t help that Richardson was absent for spring workouts, allowing Jones a better opportunity to build chemistry with receivers. Yet, if Richardson can bounce back with a stronger training camp showing, he could still win the job.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Who’s No. 1 after the NFL Draft?
Sports fan since birth. I am also passionate about cars, music, and anything funny. Minnesotan, born and raised. Maybe ... More about Andrew Buller-Russ