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Colts Decline Anthony Richardson’s 5th-Year Option Amid QB’s Trade Request

(By James Boyd)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/724...h-year-option/



The Indianapolis Colts declined the 5th-year option on quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr.’s rookie contract, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Friday. The Colts had until Friday to exercise Richardson’s fifth-year option that would have paid the 2023 No. 4 pick a fully guaranteed $22.5 Million in 2027, per Over the Cap. Now, he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent next year.

FOX59 was first to report that the Colts declined Richardson’s 5th-year option.

3 QBs were selected in the 1st round in 2023 ...... No. 1 pick Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, No. 2 pick C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans, and Richardson. Richardson is the only one who did not have his 5th-year option picked up.

The Colts’ decision to decline the fifth-year option on Richardson’s contract was expected, which further signals that his tumultuous tenure with the franchise is likely coming to an end. It’s just a matter of when. The 23-year-old requested a trade in February after three underwhelming seasons in Indianapolis, but the Colts have been unable to strike a deal.

Richardson was limited to 15 starts (8-7) through his first 2 years with the Colts due to injuries, inaccuracy and immaturity. He lost the starting job to Daniel Jones last year. Jones, who played on a one-year, $14 Million contract in 2025, led Indianapolis to an 8-2 start that placed the team atop the AFC standings before fracturing his left fibula and tearing his right Achilles tendon. Despite those injuries, the Colts placed the transition tag on Jones this offseason and then re-signed him on a 2-year, $88 Million deal that solidified him as the team’s QB of the future.

The Colts’ organizational pivot away from Richardson was years in the making. Richardson showed promise as a rookie, scoring seven total TDs in his first four games (three passing and four rushing) while completing 59.5 percent of his passes. But Richardson’s first year was cut short after he suffered a severe AC joint sprain in his right (throwing) shoulder that required surgery.

Richardson returned for the 2024 campaign, but his performance took a noticeable dip as he finished with a 47.7 completion percentage, the lowest mark in the NFL and the lowest in Colts history. He was limited to 11 games because of injuries and a 2-game benching that came on the heels of him tapping out of a game against the Houston Texans because he was “tired.” Richardson’s request for a sub, something QBs rarely do unless they’re injured, was viewed as a cardinal sin by some of his teammates and drew league-wide criticism.

Veteran Joe Flacco replaced Richardson as the starting QB, but after Flacco played poorly and the Colts lost back-to-back games, Richardson was reinserted into the starting lineup. In his return, Richardson authored the best performance of his career in a road win against the New York Jets. He had 3 total touchdowns (one passing and two rushing), highlighted by the game-winning, 4-yard TD run with 46 seconds left. He also completed 20-of-30 passes for 272 yards.

Richardson, however, was unable to string together enough strong performances to become the team’s unquestioned starter. At the end of his second season, Colts general manager Chris Ballard declared an open quarterback competition with a to-be-determined challenger, which wound up being Jones. It took Jones only a few months to supplant Richardson as QB1, winning the job by the end of training camp.

Richardson entered the 2025 campaign as Jones’ backup, but he suffered an orbital fracture during a pregame warmup accident in October that required surgery and left him with impaired vision in his right eye. He remained on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Richardson’s representatives provided the Colts with medical documentation in February, around the same time his trade request became public, that showed the dual-threat QB has since regained “20/20 vision” when using both of his eyes, league sources told The Athletic. But when Ballard was asked last month if Richardson had regained his full vision, the GM was less definitive.

“He’s still recovering a little bit, but he’s cleared for activity and doing everything,” Ballard said. “So, I think he’s in a good spot.”

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The whole AR thing has just been an unmitigated disaster; from living through the season that gave us the 4th pick to how his 'career' has been so far it is just depressing.

Personally, I don’t find myself getting constipated over Richardson. Whenever you send the card to the podium with the name of a Quarterback penciled in, you realize that there’s a pretty good chance that things will go sideways

In the immortal words of Ned Stark, “Whenever you take a Quarterback in the 1st round, the gods roll the dice.”

The Colts have spent six first round picks on the position. Three times, the coin landed heads up…Bert Jones, Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. Three times, it’s been tails…Art Schlichter, Jeff George and Richardson.

I’ll admit that my enthusiasm for Daniel Jones probably colors my outlook. If Mike Pagel or Marty Domres were the next man up, I’d probably be sitting here with a metaphorical pistol, thinking about a nice game of Russian roulette.

Instead, I’m thinking of raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, grinding the AFC South into the dust, and hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February.

It isnt that we missed on the number 4 choice with me. It is that we spent the better part of a decade trying to find one and continue to come up with zilch. If I believed in Jone like you did I would probably feel different, but I think Jones is another mediocre injury prone QB. I hope you are correct and I am wrong.

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New rule ...... if the last time that your favorite football team won a single playoff game predates the COVID pandemic, you're not allowed to talk about winning the Super Bowl until they at least win 10 regular season games.

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For the record, I have a very rosy outlook for the 2026 Colts ...... I think that they are a lot closer to the team that nearly beat the Seahawks on their homefield with a 44 year-old Philp Rivers at quarterback than they are to the team that shit the bed against the Steelers with a young, healthy Daniel Jones at quarterback ...... I'm simply acknowledging the fact that since Philip Rivers' initial retirement immediately following the solid 2020 season that the Colts' 9-8 and 8-9 seasons have felt like part of the plot for the 1993 movie Groundhog Day.

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I was trying for over the top there. Indulging in a bit of hyperbole.

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OK.

That's also what I was doing when I suggested that you sometimes act like the Colts have been playing like the Kansas City Chiefs' dynasty from 2018 throuigh 2024 in another thread.

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I am painfully aware that they haven’t played as well as KC. 😊

They’ve been a middling, middle of the pack squad, drawn under by a series of mediocre Quarterbacks. I can only wonder what might have been had Andrew Luck not retired. Andrew was a true unicorn, a Quarterback who could carry a bad team on his back and elevate it into the playoffs.

With him, there’s no Carson Wentz fiasco, no Matt Ryan, no need to spend a premium draft pick on a QB with only a handful of starts in college.

I want to ask everyone on this forum, what would the the Colts regular season record have been, had Ballard moved heaven and earth to acquire the best QB's in the draft from 2020 to 2023? Let's say Ballard moves heaven and earth to get Joe Burrow in 2020 or Trevor Lawrence in 2021. Shockingly 2022, was a very weak QB draft class, so it might be a tossup between Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis. For 2023, I'll only include CJ Stroud, since he has been the most productive.

My take, is that if Ballard had moved heaven and earth to draft Burrow, we would've been a perennial contender and won the division more often than not, and may even have a Super Bowl to show for it.

My reasoning, we are way more functional organization than the Bungles.

What about a bit more realistic scenario. In 2020, the Bengals weren’t going to move off Joe Burrow; but Justin Herbert was sitting there at 6. Instead of trading for Buckner, they could have cut a deal with Detroit to move up 13 spots. Painful, but consider that we shipped a first and a third to Philly for Carson Wentz. We probably could have swung a trade with Detroit for a little more than we gave for him and Buckner.

I don’t know how far they could have gone. KC, with Mahomes, has been other’worldly. But, it’s probable that they make the playoffs every year. They got there in 2020 with Rivers and finished a game above or below .500 in four of the next 5.

Herbert would have had great tools to work with behind a really good Offensive Line. Ballard wouldn’t have had to expend as much effort on the position and, maybe, with a high powered offense in hand, they might have ante’ed up for Micah Parsons. If the had, the sky would have been the limit.

I like your thinking. My point being, have the Colts usually had a good enough roster to contend, but were always a QB away?

Freaks posters always want to point out the Colts roster deficiencies for every single season. I will argue that those roster deficiencies were not atypical of the rest of the NFL.

Interesting to consider. I will have to ponder this a little and get back to this post.

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The Colts Says That QB Anthony Richardson Is ‘Here to Compete’ Amid Trade Request

(By James Boyd)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...ny-richardson/



INDIANAPOLIS — Anthony Richardson Sr. does not want to be a member of the Indianapolis Colts. He made that clear when he requested a trade in February after three seasons with the franchise. Since then, however, the Colts have been unable to strike a deal, and after missing the first two weeks of voluntary spring practice, Richardson rejoined the team last week.

Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodds, who spoke to the media Saturday after rookie minicamp for the first time since last year’s training camp, said it’s up to both sides to act like adults in the wake of Richardson’s trade request. Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was the Colts’ highest-drafted player since the team selected Andrew Luck first in 2012. The 23-year-old started just 15 games through his first two years before losing the starting job to Daniel Jones last year.

“I think you’re just upfront and say, ‘Hey, we tried. Nothing materialized. But you’re a professional, you have a job to do, and that’s why you’re here. You’re here to compete,’” Dodds said of how he’s approached Richardson’s return. “I think Anthony knows, too, it’s only gonna help him by competing and doing well.”

Dodds, like Colts general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen, stopped short of detailing exactly what Richardson’s role will be as he reintegrates with the team. Jones will likely be limited when OTAs begin later this month as he continues rehabbing from the torn right Achilles tendon he suffered last December. Therefore, Richardson and Riley Leonard should have the chance to take more reps during spring practice.

Before Richardson’s return, Leonard had been the Colts’ presumed backup after starting the 2025 regular-season finale while Jones and Richardson, who suffered an orbital fracture last October, were sidelined. When asked if Richardson, who is 8-7 as a starter, will challenge Leonard for the QB2 role if he’s not traded, Dodds sidestepped the question.

“I think that everybody is competing,” Dodds said. “It’s May ...... who knows how it’ll end up ???”

Richardson has thrown 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in the NFL. He also has 10 rushing touchdowns. Leonard threw two touchdown passes and three interceptions as a rookie. He also notched two rushing TD's.

Dodds said the Colts feel good about their quarterbacks.

“We’ve got two other guys in that room that’ve started NFL games,” he said.

Regardless of the role Richardson plays with the Colts or another team, his recovery from the orbital fracture remains a big factor in his NFL future. The injury initially left Richardson with impaired vision in his right eye. Dodds was asked if Richardson had regained his full vision, and instead of giving a yes or no answer, he, like Steichen, stated that the “doctors said he’s good to go.”

Aside from discussing Richardson and Leonard, Dodds spoke glowingly of Jones. The veteran, who turns 29 later this month, signed a two-year, $88 Million deal in March to remain with the Colts. Last year, Jones led Indianapolis to an 8-2 start before fracturing his left fibula and tearing his right Achilles tendon.

“Being around the guy, he’s really thoughtful, really composed, has a great way about him. (He) kind of connects with everybody,” Dodds said. “He can fit in, in any of the position rooms if he had to. I think that’s just really important, and they all believe in him and follow him for that reason.”


High Praise for A.J. Haulcy


A smile quickly spread across Dodds’ face when he began discussing rookie safety A.J. Haulcy. The Colts’ third-round pick left a lasting impression on Dodds after the two met during the pre-draft process.

“I love that guy,” Dodds said. “(Colts southwest area scout) Mike Lacy was really pushing (to draft) him in the meetings. … And then when he walked into that interview, you just felt there’s a presence about that kid. And then you look at his history (with) three schools, he’s going up (a level) each time, he’s starting each time and he’s really productive, too.”

Haulcy began his college career at New Mexico before transferring to Houston and LSU. He earned all-conference honors at each program, highlighted by a 1st-team All-SEC selection last year after notching 4 passes defensed and 3 interceptions.

The Colts lost starting strong safety Nick Cross in free agency. The 2022 3rd-round pick signed a 2-year, $13 Million deal to join the Washington Commanders, thus opening the door for Indianapolis to select Haulcy on Day 2 of the draft. The 22-year-old has a chance to be a Week 1 starter in Indy, and he said he’s already been in contact with starting free safety Cam Bynum. Bynum had four interceptions and eight passes defensed during his first season with the Colts last year.

“I feel like we could do some great things here,” Haulcy said Friday shortly before rookie minicamp began. “We could make history here, just us two and our skill sets and also what we know about ball.”


C.J. Allen Is Poised for a Big Role


Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has never had a rookie wear the green dot helmet and call the defense ...... that could change with CJ Allen.

The former Georgia star and 2nd-round pick is poised to take on a big role in Indianapolis’s defense after the team traded its former green dot-wearer, Zaire Franklin, to the Green Bay Packers in March. Anarumo believes Allen will be able to absorb those duties after wearing the green dot at Georgia, though Anarumo said he won’t rush Allen’s development. Last year, Allen was named a first-team All-American and a finalist for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top linebacker.

“Coach (Kirby) Smart down there at Georgia thinks the world of the guy,” Anarumo said of Allen on Wednesday. “(He has) played a ton of football there. He is all about football, the old-school gym rat.”

Allen said he realized a childhood dream when he was drafted, but he’s glad to finally put it in his rearview mirror. The 21-year-old glided around the field during rookie minicamp Friday and Saturday, and his voice was easily distinguishable as he established his presence.

“At the end of the day, it’s still football,” Allen said. “It may be different names or things like that, but you still got to tackle the person with the ball and get to the ball. So, that’s the main thing.”

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Richardson appears to be staying put, just like I hoped that he would ...... in my rat's ass of an opinion, the 2025 Colts needing to resort to bringing back Uncle Phil exhibited that you can't have too much depth at the QB position in the NFL.



Anthony Richardson Finds No Trade Market as Colts QB Set to Stay Put

(By J. Canfora)

https://www.sportsboom.us/nfl/exclus...ity-with-colts


The Colts' former top-5 draft-pick Anthony Richardson received almost no interest on the trade market, we reported weeks ago that interest was scant, with concerns about his vision following an orbital bone injury, but the sides have done well to put that drama behind them early in the offseason.

Richardson has struggled to execute as a starting quarterback and stay healthy and while his natural talent remains intriguing.

Multiple executives from teams who added quarterbacks and who evaluated Richardson said his health and his latest injury in particular, played more of a role in them pivoting to other options than did Richardson’s struggles to cement the starting job.

“Even if he was healthy I don’t think he was going to have much of a market,” one GM told SportsBoom.

Richardson, as a high first-round pick, carries a base salary of $5.4M and a $10M salary cap hit. At a time when former first-overall QBs Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa were signing for veteran minimum contracts of $1.3M, that was a factor.

“Those contracts didn’t help him,” the GM said.


There’s No Place Like Home ???


At this point, league sources indicated that Richardson has accepted that it is almost certain that he plays out this season with the Colts, and then takes his chances in free agency next year after fulfilling his rookie contracts.

Richardson requested a trade and very much wanted to move on early in the off-season after losing his job to Daniel Jones a year ago, coupled with the fact that the Colts then re-signed Jones to a 2-year extension.

Richardson has not been a distraction of any sort since reporting to Indianapolis and the reality is, with Jones a high risk for injury throughout his career, and with the Colts adding quality pieces to their offensive roster in recent years, Richardson is actually in about as good a position as he could hope for, all things considered.

There is always the possibility that Richardson shows well in the pre-season and a playoff team loses a quarterback to injury and he gets an opportunity to start elsewhere.

The 23-year-old is desperate for more playing experience, after only playing one year of big-time college football and he has just 15 starts in his NFL career.

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Yea, Ballard has been willing to take big risks and bid deals to spend 1st round picks trading for DT and CB..why not for a QB?

Good question?

How often are those traded? I mean, a good one. Good QBs rarely move teams. Yeah, I know Brady and Manning ended careers in different places, but there were circumstances behind both of those. Same with Brees. Manning ans Brees had injuries scare their teams off, and Brady and Belicheat seemed to be ready to prove they did not need the other.

How soon we forget Carson Wentz.

I think of Carson Wentz fondly every time I see Bernhard Raimann and Josh Downs step onto the field for the Colts.

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The Colts’ Looming Position Battles: Will Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson Be the Backup QB ???

(By James Boyd)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...ny-richardson/



The Indianapolis Colts begin OTA's next week, so now is a good time to dive into some of the team’s looming position battles. The Colts made several roster changes this offseason, with six starters from last year finding new homes elsewhere, thus opening the door for others to fill the void.

Here are my top five position battles to keep an eye on.



Back-Up Quarterback


Daniel Jones, who is rehabbing from a torn right Achilles tendon he suffered in December, was solidified as the Colts’ unquestioned QB1 when he signed a two-year, $88 Million contract with the team in March. Colts coach Shane Steichen and GM Chris Ballard have noted Jones’ recovery is going well. Still, they both stopped short of fully committing to Jones’ being available for the opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 13th.

If Jones isn’t ready, the Colts will turn to Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson, the latter of whom has requested a trade. Since last season ended, the Colts have praised Leonard, a 2025 6th-round pick, for his progress and indicated he’s on track to be Jones’ backup. But that was before Richardson, who requested a trade in February, rejoined the team for spring practice earlier this month.

The Colts haven’t said much about what Richardson’s role will be if he spends the 2026 season in Indy, but if he isn’t traded, it’s worth discussing whether Richardson or Leonard gives the Colts the best chance to win if Jones is sidelined. Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, has thrown 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in the NFL. He’s also rushed for 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Leonard threw two TD passes and three picks during his rookie season. He also had two rushing TD's.

OTA's could provide a tangible update on Jones, whom the Colts did not rule out of participating. They could also give us a glimpse of how the team plans to divide the reps between Leonard and Richardson.


Other Defensive End


Laiatu Latu is the only proven starting defensive end on the Colts’ roster. The 2024 first-round pick notched 8.5 sacks and 3 INT's last season. He’ll need to record, at minimum, double-digit sacks in 2026 to justify how high he was selected.

Indy’s other starting defensive end from last year, Kwity Paye, joined the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Ballard said the Colts tried to sign four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, who played under Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in Cincinnati, but they swung and missed. Hendrickson signed with the Ravens, so the Colts will face him in Week 1 in Indianapolis.

The Colts appear content to use a defensive-end-by-committee approach opposite Latu. Still, the other starting job is likely to be claimed by veteran free-agent signee Arden Key or 2025 second-round pick Jaylahn Tuimoloau. Key has started 46 games through his first eight NFL seasons and has 30 1/2 sacks. He is the most accomplished defensive end the Colts added this offseason. Tuimoloau, on the other hand, logged zero starts and zero sacks as a rookie, though Anarumo and company have hinted he could take a big leap in Year 2.


3rd Wide Receiver


The Colts traded veteran Michael Pittman Jr., who led the team in receptions in four of the last five years, to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March. His absence will push newly paid Alec Pierce, who signed a four-year, $114 Million deal with the Colts shortly before Pittman’s departure, up the depth chart. Josh Downs will also see an increased role.

The competition for the third starting receiver spot could go in a few directions. Ashton Dulin offers the most familiarity, as he’s entering his fourth season in Steichen’s offense, but he also plays a huge role on special teams as one of the best gunners in the NFL. Free-agent signee Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is another veteran option. He had a down season with the Miami Dolphins last year, totaling just 11 catches for 89 yards, but he caught nine touchdowns with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 and has 19 receiving TDs in his career.

The Colts could also turn to rookie Deion Burks. The seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma has blazing speed, evidenced by his 4.30-second 40-yard dash. Burks, who stands 5 feet 10 and weighs 180 pounds, also displayed impressive run-after-the-catch ability in college thanks to his deceptively strong frame.


Kicker


Colts special teams coordinator Brian Mason believes his team has two starting kickers on its roster: Spencer Shrader and Blake Grupe. Last year, Shrader was emerging as one of the best kickers in the NFL, drilling 13 of his 14 FG attempts and all 14 of his XP's before he suffered a season-ending right knee injury against the Raiders.

The Colts first pivoted to Michael Badgley, who previously played for the team, but cut him after he missed three extra points. Indy then signed Grupe, who had been cut by the New Orleans Saints after missing eight field goal attempts in 11 games. The diminutive kicker, who is 5' 7" and 157 pounds, redeemed himself in Indianapolis by making all 11 of his FG attempts and all 10 of his XP's.

Grupe could have signed elsewhere this offseason, but he decided to return to Indianapolis on a one-year deal to compete with Shrader for the starting job. Whoever loses, Mason said, should have plenty of suitors.


Back-Up Running Back


Jonathan Taylor is coming off his third Pro Bowl campaign and fourth 1,000-yard rushing season. The Colts star played a career-high 82 percent of the team’s offensive snaps last year, so the backup running back role was hardly mentioned. But there were some changes this offseason, with last year’s reserves, Ameer Abdullah and Tyler Goodson, joining the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons in free agency.

Unless the Colts sign a veteran in free agency, they’ll rely on 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens or 2026 seventh-round pick Seth McGowan to serve as Taylor’s backup. Giddens, a former Kansas State star, totaled just 26 carries for 96 yards as a rookie. McGowan, meanwhile, recorded 165 carries for 725 yards and 12 touchdowns at Kentucky last season.

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The Colts Name Anthony Richardson as the Top Backup (QB-2) Behind Starter Daniel Jones

(By James Boyd)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/756...riley-leonard/



INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen announced on Thursday that Anthony Richardson will be the team’s top back-up quarterback. Richardson, the Colts’ 1st-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, competed with 2025 6th-round pick Riley Leonard throughout training camp to serve as QB-2 behind starter Daniel Jones.

Early on, it seemed as if Leonard had the edge in the competition, but Richardson’s superior play in the pre-season seems to have won him the job.

“I was honored,” Richardson said of being told that he had been named the Colts’ top back-up. “I’m just thankful that they believe in me enough to promote me to QB-2. I’m just ready to work, willing to work for this team and provide my best self for this squad.”

Richardson completed 21 of 33 passes for 249 yards with 0 TD's and 1 INT in 3 pre-season games. He also had 10 carries for 68 yards and a TD, and lost one fumble while running. Leonard, meanwhile, completed 20 of 42 passes for 199 yards, 0 TD's and 1 INT's. He added 6 carries for 17 yards and fumbled 2 snaps, though neither was lost.

Richardson winning the top back-up job for the Colts is the latest turn of what has been a roller-coaster career for him with Indianapolis. Just in the past year or so alone, Richardson lost his starting job to Jones, then nearly lost an eye after breaking his orbital bone in a freak, pre-game accident last season. Then, to start the off-season, Richardson formally requested a trade. The 24-year-old was seemingly looking for a fresh start in a new NFL city. However, no trade materialized, with GM Chris Ballard saying in late July that Indianapolis was not going to “give him away.”

Richardson’s trade request has remained intact throughout training camp and the pre-season, but assistant GM Ed Dodds strongly hinted in mid-August that the Colts were intending to keep Richardson.

“I think that you take care of your own team first,” Dodds said. “We want to have 3 quarterbacks who can play. So, if Richardson is one of them, he’s going to be here.”

A few weeks later, Ballard said that he fully expected Richardson to remain with the team this year.

“I’ve been pretty consistent with Anthony,” Ballard said on Monday, 3 days before Steichen named Richardson the top back-up. “We forget how young he is sometimes. We're really proud of his growth ...… there were 2 times in camp that I said, ‘OK, he’s starting to really show some poise.’ The 2-minute against New England ...... remember, we’re backed up. I think that there were 38 seconds left on the clock, and he gets us into field-goal range to give us a chance to get points. And then during the Atlanta scrimmage, he had a tremendous 2-minute drill also, so it’s been fun to watch Anthony’s growth.”

In other Colts news, the team announced 5 team captains ...... Jones, left guard Quenton Nelson, running back Jonathan Taylor, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and safety Cam Bynum. Jones has been a captain 8 times in his career, including last year with the Colts.

Buckner is also an 8-time captain, including the past 6 consecutive seasons with Indianapolis. Nelson, too, has been a captain for 6 consecutive seasons in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, Taylor will be a Colts captain for the 3rd time in his career, and Bynum will be a captain for the first time.

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Good for AR

Stay ready young fella

That’s the right call. It’s not that I think AR has suddenly turned a corner, it’s more that Leonard has looked like total dog shit.

It’s like he completely forgot how to play football.

Leonard was thrown out there with no help playing with guys that aren’t even on the team.

AR looked slightly better playing with better players around him

I wonder how Jones would’ve looked with the cast these guys had to work with

All this lets me know is Jonathan Taylor is the key to all of this, and I still believe we have 3 solid QBs that can win games with that Oline ,JT, Warren, and Pierce

Riley did not look good when he got the start. He regressed. Not that he was very good to begin with.

Leonard appeared to be the clear favorite to win the number 2 going into the year. He is exactly the kind of QB that Steichen wants and loves. He and DJ are best buddies, he was in DJ's wedding for goodness sake. That AR won this competition is a big deal to me. If i am not mistaken it is the first thing i am aware of that he actually competed for and wasn't just given since he got here. The guy seems to have a great attitude, doesn't appear to be any problem in the locker room or cause any issue off the field (model citizen so far) He is finally in a good position as a back up, has clearly made advances in his short game. I'm rooting for the dude big time.

I mean, he’s got a really good shot at playing this year.

I’m still rooting for him