According to longtime general manager Chris Ballard, the Indianapolis Colts still believe that incumbent 3rd-year starter Anthony Richardson, despite his 2024 sophomore slump, still has major upside going forward:
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve talked [to] some other media members here this morning about kind of what’s been going on in the league and the lack of patience, and the quarterback carousel that you’re seeing,” Ballard said via the ‘Up and Adams’ show hosted by Kay Adams from the NFL Annual Meeting on Monday in Palm Beach, Florida.
“I mean you’re seeing guys go on their second, third, fourth team, and they’re being successful, and especially with young quarterbacks, we want them to be superstars right away, and that’s not always the case.”
If there’s anything that the Colts’ former 4th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft has lacked, it’s not elite upside and potential—as he was arguably the most athletic quarterback prospect in NFL Combine history as an ‘alien’ athletically at the game’s most important position.
Here, Ballard is clearly referring to recent reclamation successes such as Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, who needed at least a third change of scenery from the original team that drafted them, to find meaningful NFL success respectively.
To be fair though, there’s a number of former first round castoffs who hit this year’s free agency: Justin Fields, Trey Lance, Jameis Winston, and even the Colts’ Daniel Jones—who may never find that same kind of career resurgence elsewhere. To be honest, both Mayfield and Darnold appear to more outliers than the norm realistically—and I’ll even throw the Detroit Lions Jared Goff into that hat too.
Ballard is right though that Richardson, turning 23-years-old this upcoming May, remains incredibly young for a potential 3rd-year starting quarterback. He’s the same age as upcoming rookies such as Jalen Milroe and Cam Ward, and younger than Shadeur Sanders:
“With Anthony, knowing how young he was, and the lack of experience, and what he’s gained so far, and what he’s going to gain going forward, we think there’s major upside. When that happens, I’m not ‘Nostradamus’ in that way, but we think it’ll happen eventually.”
Whether that happens with Indianapolis, remains to be seen.
After his surprising 2-game benching, Richardson showed much improved maturity and poise down the season’s stretch before missing the team’s final two games with injury. He showed some leadership with impressive 4th quarter winning comebacks, but has to improve his consistency—particularly regarding his passing accuracy concerns.
Indianapolis wants to see him mature both on the field and on a personal level as well.
The Colts have already brought in veteran Daniel Jones as a free agent addition, and the two are set to split first-team reps as part of a legitimate starting quarterback competition.
Ballard also hasn’t ruled out drafting a rookie quarterback, if the right opportunity presents itself come late April’s draft weekend:
“If you think there’s somebody organizationally that you believe in, at any point, I think you pull the trigger,” Ballard said via the IndyStar’s Joel Erickson.
That could speak more to the Colts looking to replace third-string backup quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who recently left to the Denver Broncos in free agency, but maybe it means something more.
Regarding Richardson, nothing can be guaranteed right now.