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**Source: Joe Sargent / Getty**
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said he was going to bring in competition for Anthony Richardson this offseason. Tuesday afternoon, he did just that (at least on paper).
Daniel Jones, the former Giants 1st\-round pick who spent the latter half of 2024 with the Vikings, will be coming to Indianapolis on a 1-year deal worth $14 million. That’s a lot of money to pay for a backup quarterback, which does lend credibility to the idea that Jones is really here to compete and could actually win the starting job.
But is that actually the case?
It’s almost become a point that’s been beaten into the ground by now, but if Anthony Richardson doesn’t win the starting job in training camp, then what even is the point of this season? Daniel Jones isn’t going to be the long-term answer. The only hope Chris Ballard and company have of surviving beyond the 2025 season is if Richardson finally grows into the quarterback the Colts drafted him to be.
During the Tuesday edition of The Ride With JMV, James Boyd from both The Athletic and The Fan Morning Show joined and gave his thoughts on if he sees any possibility that Daniel Jones is under center when Week 1 kicks off for the Colts.
_“I think the real competition starts in Week 1, not during training camp or OTA’s. I truly believe Anthony Richardson could probably throw the ball in the dirt ten times in a row in training camp and still start in Week 1. I just cannot fathom this team moving off the number four pick two years after picking him before he starts another game for this team. Now, I say that also saying, once Week 1 rolls around and Anthony struggles and has some turbulence, I could see by Week 4 they pivot and say ‘Hey, you know what, this guy’s completion percentage is still pretty bad, he’s not improved too much, we’re trying to win games, we can’t look Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner in the eye and tell them hey, we’re trying to win. Charvarious Ward, our new addition, Cam Bynum, we can’t sell these guys on trying to win and start this dude’. So, I think that the real competition starts in Week 1 with Anthony in the saddle, QB1, but also knowing that again, ‘If I slip up, if I mess up, and I don’t perform, then Daniel Jones will be supplanting me pretty soon.’”_
Listen to JMV’s full conversation with James Boyd and others down below, and tune into The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6pm 0n 93.5/107.5 The Fan!