A report from earlier this month suggested that the Indianapolis future of Colts’ second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson is uncertain and could be tied to the fate of the man who drafted him, general manager Chris Ballard. And, since the club is at risk of missing the playoffs for the sixth time in Ballard’s eight years as the front office boss, the GM’s job may not be safe.
However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Colts plan to move forward with Richardson as their starting signal-caller in 2025. The No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 draft was benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco in Week 9, but Flacco did not play well in Week 9 or Week 10 (both losses), and Richardson was reinserted into the starting lineup in Week 11.
One of the reasons for Richardson’s demotion was his lack of adequate pre-game preparation, but the club is pleased with how the young passer responded to the benching and the improvements he has made to his preparation and attention to detail. Since his return, the Colts have posted a 3-2 record, and the Florida product has shown flashes during that stretch.
His accuracy is still cause for concern, as he has connected on just 47.7% of his pass attempts this season and has thrown eight TDs against 12 interceptions. He has not shown a marked improvement in that regard since he regained his starting job, as he has tossed four TDs against five interceptions and has completed 51.1% of his passes in the last five games.
Richardson’s health issues are also troubling. He played in just four games in his rookie campaign due to a sprained AC joint, and even before his benching this year, he missed two games due to an oblique injury. He will miss today’s critical matchup with the Giants as a result of foot and back issues.
That said, the current ailments are not considered long-term ones, per Rapoport, and since Richardson will not have to spend the upcoming offseason focusing on rehab as he did last offseason, the hope is that he will be able to further develop his fundamentals. Plus, despite his accuracy woes, the big-armed passer is still capable of making plays through the air and on the ground (he leads the league with 14.4 yards gained per pass completion and has rushed for nearly 500 yards and six scores while maintaining a 5.8 yards-per-carry average).
Rapoport suggests that head coach Shane Steichen and offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter will be retained for 2025, noting that the two coaches and Richardson hope to find sustained success together next season. He does not, though, mention Ballard in his report, so it is theoretically still possible that owner Jim Irsay elects to move on from his top executive. In such a scenario, the new hire may feel differently about Richardson’s upside and could seek to go in a different direction under center.
The rest of the AFC South rejoices!
Tell ya what, w/a ton of hardwork put in from now till next season begins, w/the proper training, day in day out, dare I say they can get his completion percentage up to a lofty 50/50. Exact same problem he had in college but somehow Colts glossed over that thinking THEY are ones to unlock the magic. Any day now it’s all gonna click. Think “lack of adequate pre-game preperation” sums it all up. Idiots.
If he attempts to put in hardwork, will he get gassed again and need a breather in the middle of a drive?
^ this
That was unprecedented.
I was suprised how big a deal people made that lmao
Surprised about tapping out? Sheesh. That was the most fallopian thing I’ve ever seen in the NFL.
Explain?
I believe he’s referring to female genitalia. And I totally agree.
Oh my
Uh, I get that there are very few QB options in the draft this coming year, but this guy shouldn’t even be starting in the CFL right now. I’m guessing the plan is to tank next season for a better QB draft? I don’t want to write a player off after barely two seasons, but he’s been just SO bad.
The man needs a full offseason. If there were lots of good QB options this offseason, maybe it would be worth discussing, but there aren’t. The guy was always going to be a project and he’s two years younger than Michael Penix. Keep working on the guy and move on next offseason if things don’t improve.
And there’s the reason you don’t start a Rookie QB unless you’ve completely run out of options.
To downgrade him to QB2 at this point would stunt his growth. If they make a run at the pending FA QBs, that will live rent free in his head; elevating the growth stunt impact.
Just bad from every angle
So who will be #2 next season, or as the Colts call it, the quarterback who starts the most games since Richardson will be hurt after 4-6 games?
Colts should take a day 3 guy like Gabriel or Jaxson Dart
Time for a Lamar Jackson type program with Anthony Richardson. Lots of option run plays, short passing game, occasional deep bomb once the defense crowds the box. Jackson didn’t look too hot as a passer for his first few years either.
AR needs way more development than 2019 Lamar did tho
he also was one of the best passers in the league his second year, and every year since except 2021.
people either do not remember history or are just obtuse at this point.
Hence my point
You might be right. It could also be that Harbaugh was more deadly serious about building an offense around his quarterback’s strengths. The development of Lamar Jackson is one of the more impressive coaching feats I’ve ever seen in the NFL.
Colts couldn’t even beat the hapless Giants. I’m expecting both Ballard and Steichen to be unemployed after that catastrophe.
Hope so.
This style of QB is 80% miss. He’s a run first QB with a below average arm, No one likes to watch a running first QB, we want to watch the big pocket passer launch it downfield.
The guy has an arm, just not accurate enough, yet. Like Fields, he will always run if receivers arent wide open.
From the moment we drafted Richardson in 2023, I’ve been counting down the clock until March for Arch 2026 draft.
Baltimore fixed Lamar
Buffalo fixed Allen
49ers/Vikings fixed Darnold
Sirianni fixed Hurts
Campbell/Johnson fixed Goff
McDaniels fixed Tua (more so made him more dangerous a passer than fix)
Definitely think Richardson can improve cause the right coaching can improve a QB as evident by guys listed above.
First step would be hire Brian Daboll as OC. Given his experience working with big mobile QB in Josh Allen I think he’d be the right OC for Richardson.
Next step would be I’d trade Michael Pittman in a deal for Jaylen Waddle. I think both colts and dolphins need a shake up in their WR rooms and they each have what the other needs. Dolphins need a big bodied rebound go up grab it guy to go with Hill (Pittman) and Colts need a speedy guy to create room separation for Richardson (Waddle) to pair with Pierce at 6’3” Mitchell 6’4”. Maybe draft picks get exchanged or swapping draft slots or moving up down rounds but waddle and Pittman being the main pieces exchanging hands.
Finally. Richardson has some homework to do this off season
Sun up film study
Afternoon mechanics footwork
Evening given todays technology put on the head gear and virtual practice so he’s seeing different defenses seeing different looks putting the film study into action.
Agreed. Add GM, head coach and DC to that list.
Big Tony “Bounce Pass” Richardson stunk up the stadium in college, and has continued the tradition in the pros. No off-season conditioning program, coaching mentor, or amount of time will do anything because he thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread. He’s a wide receiver not a QB. Go back and watch his games at Florida. He was playing because they had no one else, not because he was good.
Correction – he’s a RB not a QB. A RB playing QB. Colts would be a dangerous offense with a real QB behind center and Richardson/Taylor splitting the carries.
My only concern with moving him to RB is that he’d get hurt even more than he already does.
This guy has BUST written all over him…..
I think a lot of us see Richardson as being on strike two, and that the current coach simply can’t fix him. At the very least, he needs a new quarterback coach. I think I know exactly who they need to get. Marty Mornhinweg was the Eagles QB coach in 2010 who remade Michael Vick from a scrambler to an accurate passer. If he can’t fix Richardson, God help him. The miracle he worked with Vick was like night & day, I never saw it coming, I didn’t know he had it in him. He became a Pro Bowl passer in Philly, & he had a high passer rating.