The Indianapolis Colts have unleashed a quarterback battle between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson, and at the beginning of the offseason, it appeared they both had a fighting chance of landing the QB1 spot, with both performing well. Richardson made it clear before OTAs started that he had been working hard in an effort to improve, but any progress he had achieved came to a screeching halt when he re-injured his shoulder.
During his rookie season, Richardson had a nasty shoulder injury, which ultimately required surgery. During OTAs, he aggravated that same AC joint, and while head coach Shane Steichen said another surgery wouldn't be necessary, it was still an ill-timed setback that let Daniel Jones leap ahead of him in the race for QB1. The big question for Richardson was when he would come back, and whether or not it would be too late - and according to Zach Goodall, Richardson has said he will be back in time for training camp.
"I'm all good ... not really even a bump in the road. I feel like I tripped, I fell. Just got back up and hit the ground running again."Anthony Richardson
While Richardson could still end up winning the quarterback race - after all, Daniel Jones is a far cry from Peyton Manning - this is still a concerning statement for fans. It gives no real insight into just how bad this injury was. And it's reminiscent of previous issues with the Colts, Steichen, and Richardson from last season.
Towards the end of the 2024 season, Steichen publicly threw Richardson under the bus by saying he might not be able to play... because his back was sore. In reality, the reality was much worse, with Richardson suffering back spasms so severe, he couldn't even walk.
And now, yet again, the reality of a Richardson injury is left cloudy. Was it really just a minor issue that he'll be able to quickly rebound from? Or is it a bigger problem that confirms Richardson's reputation as being injury-prone?
The best-case scenario for the Colts is that Richardson is able to be healthy, and capitalize on the massive athleticism, talent, and potential he has. But that outcome seems less and less likely the more that he struggles. Training camp will be the next chance to see if Richardson is downplaying this setback, or if the Colts might get the franchise quarterback fans were promised in 2023.