The Indianapolis Colts are entering the 2025 NFL season with many questions at the quarterback position. Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones are competing for the starting job for now.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Anthony Richardson Sr. (5), Daniel Jones (17) and Riley Leonard (15) prepare for drills Monday, July 28, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield.
It appears as if Jones has the slight edge over Richardson in training camp so far. It will be interesting to see when head coach Shane Steichen will name a starting quarterback for the Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. However, during training camp, there is potentially another quarterback to watch for and that is rookie quarterback Riley Leonard from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Indianapolis Colts Could Potentially Start Rookie Quarterback Riley Leonard In 2025 If Things Go South For Them
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(from left) Indianapolis Colts players Jason Bean (12) and Riley Leonard (15) throw passes during the Colts training camp at Grand Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Westfield, Ind.
There could be a lot of quarterback carousel for the Colts entering the 2025 NFL season. They have not made the playoffs since the 2020 season and are looking to end that spell this year. Indianapolis finished with an 8-9 record during the 2024 NFL season.
One of the biggest stories for the Colts has been whether or not it will be Jones or Richardson as the starting quarterback in 2025. Well, there is a chance that if things go south for them, they could potentially turn to the rookie Leonard at some point. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports thinks that the former Fighting Irish quarterback could potentially be a starter at some point for the Colts in 2025. Benjamin said,
“The talk of Indianapolis’ training camp has been the neck-and-neck battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. What if — gasp — neither maligned veteran is the answer Shane Steichen is looking for? The Colts will no doubt cycle through those two before unturning other stones, but it’s not unreasonable to think neither Jones nor Richardson will stay upright and/or stay steady. That leaves Leonard, the sixth-round flyer out of Notre Dame, as the next man up. The 22-year-old has reportedly gained pocket composure throughout camp, and you can bet the Colts will be itching for long-term upside if their veterans don’t pan out.”
Also, Leonard could potentially be starting sooner than expected because Richardson and Jones have both been prone to injuries throughout their NFL careers as well. The former Fighting Irish quarterback led his college team to the national title game before losing to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Leonard will be getting a lot of preseason game reps as well.
He will be someone else to watch for at the quarterback position for the Colts. Leonard did not have to leave the state of Indiana, and the former Notre Dame player will look to impress the coaching staff as well.
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