All eyes have been on the Indianapolis Colts quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones over the past week. Wiith OTAs having started, it was the first chance for fans to see how both players were performing, as both have something to prove. Jones and Richardson were going to be splitting reps, until a decision was made on who would be QB1.
At first, both seemed to be performing well enough, until Richardson re-injured his shoulder, aggravating his AC joint. Though he won't need surgery - for now, at least - it means he will be out for now, almost certainly missing minicamp this month.
This is a major setback for Richardson, with 2025 largely seen as his last chance to keep his job in Indianapolis. And to make matters worse, head coach Shane Steichen seemed to indicate that he had been playing well before being injured. “He was in a really good spot," he said. "He was throwing good. The meetings were good.”
Jones clearly has the advantage now in the QB1 race, with Steichen likewise praising his performance so far. “He’s been great. … Acclimating to the offense, learning it, the system. Obviously, a smart guy, understands it, he’s picked it up,” Steichen said. “He’s a veteran guy that comes in early, late nights, does all the right things.”
But while it may seem that the race is now Jones' to lose, there could be another complication, one that could end up with the rug pulled right from underneath him: Riley Leonard.
The Colts selected Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard in the sixth round of the draft, a surprising move as the quarterback room was already crowded. It was assumed he would be placed as QB3, above Jason Bean, with his position in Indianapolis largely developmental. Now, that could be different.
As Jake Arthur pointed out for SI, Leonard is now acting as QB2.
"Many fans are intrigued by rookie sixth-round pick Riley Leonard out of Notre Dame. He realistically did not factor into the competition for starting quarterback. However, now with Richardson being out and the Colts not adding another player at the position, Leonard will get a lot more reps as the QB2, and Jason Bean as the QB3. Leonard led the second-team offense to points during their two-minute drill, as rookie kicker Maddux Trujillo converted a 40-yard field goal to punctuate the drive."Jake Arthur
There was not much excitement surrounding Jones' signing, as he hasn't had much success in his NFL career so far. Leonard is a talented quarterback who can run and throw, with a decent amount of talent and potential. Yet - like both Richardson and Jones - he has some trouble with consistency and footwork.
Leonard, however, is a rookie with his future ahead of him. What happens if, during OTAs, minicamp, and training camp, Leonard performs better than Jones? That would put Steichen in a difficult position, and Jones himself will surely not go down without a fight. He gambled - literally - on winning the starting job, and he'll hardly be thrilled to lose it to a rookie from out of nowhere. But if Leonard plays better, then who can blame the Colts for taking him?