Indianapolis Colts HC Shane Steichen has decision on QB
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Indianapolis Colts HC Shane Steichen has decision on QB
The Indianapolis Colts‘ quarterback battle has been well documented. Incumbent starter (sort of) Anthony Richardson is facing stiff competition from newly-acquired Daniel Jones, who was paid $14 million on a one-year deal.
While no one is necessarily thrilled with either option, they both have upside marred by many question marks.
Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus thinks that Richardson is the one that provides the highest ceiling and will most likely win out as the starter eventually.
“If the question is who has the most upside, the obvious answer is Richardson, but the warts on his game are big,” Valentine writes. “He earned a 62.2 PFF overall grade in 2024, completing just 47.7% of his passes for 1,814 yards and eight touchdowns with 12 interceptions. His accuracy issues are evident, and over the past two seasons, 30.6% of his throws have been graded as inaccurate or off-target, the highest rate among all quarterbacks.
“On top of that, Richardson has played just 15 of a possible 34 games since he was drafted. As the cliché goes, the best ability is availability, and Richardson has struggled to stay on the field.”
That does not sound like a ringing endorsement of a guy he expects to win the starting job in Indy. Richardson was the No. 4-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and is filled with athleticism. But, as Valentine says, he also completed 47.7% of his passes last year and don’t forget he was benched for walking off of the field at a crucial moment during a game, saying he was exhausted.
“Man, tired,” Richardson said after the game, explaining that he wasn’t hurt. “I ain’t gonna lie.”
Sometimes it’s okay to lie, Anthony. This would have been one of those times.
But, what about Dan Jones?
Richardson’s main competition is Jones, unless rookie Riley Leonard comes out gangbusters in training camp. The downside on Jones is that everyone knows what he is by now. Could he pull a Sam Darnold this year and become something we haven’t seen from him before? He sure could, but the gambling odds probably would say it’s not likely.
“Jones posted a 72.0 PFF overall grade in 2024 before being released by the Giants midway through the season,” Valentine continues. “He joined the Vikings after clearing waivers but never saw the field during their run to the playoffs. Jones is a serious threat to be the Week 1 starter in Indianapolis. The offense from top to bottom is talented, more talented than Jones has been used to for the past six years, and the Colts’ front office may believe that Jones gives the team a better shot at making the playoffs in 2025.”
With Richardson’s bad AC joint and uncertain status, Jones is going to get the lion’s share of first-team reps this offseason.
Futures of Steichen and Ballard are tied to QB play
Head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard know that they need to start winning some football games. At the very least, they will need to show progress and an arrow that trends in the right direction. That’s going to start with how well their quarterbacks play.
“Richardson is already behind the eight ball once more, suffering an injury to his throwing shoulder during OTAs, and is now set to miss the Colts’ minicamp,” Valentine writes. “Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters that there is no timetable for Richardson’s return, but when that point comes, Indianapolis will ease him back into throwing. While a few weeks between now and the end of the season won’t change the trajectory of Richardson’s development too much, he still needs those valuable reps. After all, he has thrown just 348 passes in two seasons.”
But, despite his injuries and lackluster performances over the last couple of seasons, PFF still thinks Richardson has the edge to be the guy.
“Richardson was always going to need time, and his 12.3-yard average depth of target in 2024, which was the highest at the quarterback position since Tim Tebow in 2011, paints a picture of a player who may need the game to be put on rookie mode for a while. But everything, including the most recent injury to Richardson, points toward the Colts being potentially too far down the garden path. Richardson will likely walk into the 2025 season as the team’s starter, but Jones will be breathing down his neck the entire way. The margin for error is thin for general manager Chris Ballard and Steichen with this decision.”
The reality is that this really falls on Jones at this point. He’ll have the opportunity to show what he can do in this offense with Richardson sidelined. If he looks good and pulls a Darnold, there won’t be a need to rush Richardson into the lineup.