One of the biggest non-draft-related stories to emerge from the NFL combine this week involved Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard confirming that 2023 first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson will be part of an “open” competition for the starting job this summer.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen later detailed how he wants Richardson to improve from ongoing offseason workouts through the upcoming competition that could determine if the 22-year-old is still with the Colts at this time next year.
“Building on the fundamentals and obviously continuing to work on his passing,” Steichen said, as shared by Paul Bretl of Colts Wire/USA Today. “Getting the completion percentage up will be big going forward for him. It’s repetitions. You look at those things, just repetitions going over and over again is going to be big for him. The fundamental part of it. I think he has really quick feet. I’ve said that before, really quick feet, and I think it’s just getting the repetitions with those guys to get that completion percentage up.”
As noted by Pro Football Reference, Richardson ended 2024 ranked last in the NFL among qualified passers with a 47.7 percent completion percentage. He also had the league’s worst passer rating (61.6) and was 40th out of 43 players with a 36 percent passing success rate.
Just as worrisome as those numbers is the fact that Richardson hasn’t shown he can stay healthy as a full-time starting quarterback for more than a couple of months at a time. A shoulder injury cost him the majority of his rookie season, and he missed time during the 2024 campaign because of a reported oblique/abdominal problem and severe back spasms. In total, he has started just 15 of a possible 34 games since being named Indianapolis’ QB1 in August 2023.
“I think consistency is the biggest thing,” Steichen added. “We’ve had those conversations, myself and him. Just being consistent. Obviously, being on the field — 15 games the last two years. He played 11 last year and did some really good things, but just looking for the consistency.”
It’s now clear that merely showing “consistency” won’t be enough for Steichen to name Richardson the Colts’ Week 1 starter this coming summer. In fact, Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star is among those wondering if the Colts could “completely give up on Richardson” by pursuing a big name such as Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings or Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.
