The Indianapolis Colts announced this week that incumbent starting quarterback Anthony Richardson is dealing with soreness in his right throwing shoulder.
Richardson was reportedly throwing “hundreds of balls” a day this offseason, which aggravated the AC joint injury he suffered in his rookie season. The third-year quarterback will miss next week’s minicamp as the team will prepare for his return in training camp later this summer.
Richardson is set to duel against Daniel Jones this offseason after the Colts signed Jones to a one-year deal worth $14 million at the start of free agency. With Richardson missing minicamp, coaches will get a good look at Jones as he takes most, if not all, of the first-team reps.
In a segment on ESPN‘s NFL Live, commentator Kevin Clark discussed the Colts’ quarterback battle and how Richardson may find his way to a new team next season.
“You don’t give Daniel Jones $14 million unless he’s in a competition,” said Clark. “That’s just the way quarterback salaries work in this league. [Anthony Richardson has] thrown 348 passes in the NFL. In his first two years, that is the second-lowest of any top-10 pick in the last 20 years. Trey Lance is the only player with less pass attempts… Jake Locker had a few more than Anthony Richardson. That’s the area, the pool that Anthony Richardson is in right now. So, he needs to play more football. I’ve never seen anybody more destined to be in the 2026 Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback competition than Anthony Richardson.”
Clark feels that if general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen have their jobs on the line, they won’t want to take a third chance on Richardson figuring it out.
“There’s job preservation now going on in Indianapolis. Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard, they’re going to want to get seven, eight, nine wins in order to keep their job. They’re not going to want to take a flyer on Anthony Richardson and say, ‘Hey let’s hope he develops, let’s hope he finally shows the athleticism that he showed at the combine.”… I just don’t think it’s gonna happen, he’s gonna get a good start somewhere else.”
Though Clark thinks Steichen and Ballard keep their jobs with a mediocre season, I don’t see the same. Mediocrity has already caused their jobs to be on the line, so another missed postseason with poor quarterback play might be the final boot out the door for Indy’s front office.
It’ll be interesting to see how Jones performs in practices during minicamp, because if he impresses coaches, he might just overtake Richardson as the frontrunner. The Colts need reliable play, and Jones could offer that as he attempts to save his own career.
Richardson to the Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t out of the question in 2026 if all goes south. The Steelers just signed Aaron Rodgers to take care of business this year, but he doesn’t have much left in the tank. Mike Tomlin & Co. could see Richardson as a project to undertake, and one that could blossom into winning football.
The Colts will begin training camp in late July as the starting quarterback job remains on the line.
