The Indianapolis Colts have been transparent about the open quarterback competition that will define their 2025 season. Anthony Richardson seemed like the favorite to be the Day 1 starter, but a re-aggravated shoulder injury will keep him sidelined until at least training camp in July. This has opened the door for Daniel Jones, who has taken starting reps this spring and impressed, reportedly building a “significant lead” over Richardson.
While the QB1 battle will ultimately be decided on the field, we can still speculate on the outcome. When head coach Shane Steichen first joined the Colts, he highlighted three traits that he looked for in a quarterback: accuracy, decision-making, and the ability to create. Let’s take a look at which QB1 contender has the edge in each of those areas.
Accuracy
Career Reg. Season Stats | Richardson | Jones |
|---|---|---|
Completion % | 50.6% | 64.1% |
Bad Throw % | 26.3% | 15.6% |
On Target % | 61.9% | 76.6% |
Passing accuracy has arguably been Richardson’s biggest issue since entering the NFL, and that’s painfully clear in this comparison to Jones. Richardson’s accuracy struggles stem from multiple issues, including poor timing, anticipation, and ball placement, as well as inconsistent throwing mechanics.
Indianapolis fans hope that Richardson will improve over time, but his stats in his second pro season were actually worse than his rookie year. In 2024, Richardson’s completion rate (47.7%), bad throw rate (28.0%), and on-target rate (58.0%) were all dead-last in the league. While Jones' accuracy is only average, his numbers are still far better than Richardson’s.
Edge: Daniel Jones
Decision-Making
Career Reg. Season Stats | Richardson | Jones |
|---|---|---|
Interception % | 3.7% | 2.1% |
Turnovers Per Game | 1.7 | 1.4 |
Pocket Time (Seconds) | 2.5 | 2.4 |
Both Richardson and Jones have been criticized for being poor decision-makers. Each QB has plenty of room for improvement in areas like ball security, awareness, and processing speed. Too often, Richardson and Jones will force the ball into extremely tight windows or make the wrong read, leading to unnecessary turnovers and killing drives.
While neither QB should be applauded here, Jones edges Richardson in this category as well. Richardson has had a particularly rough time with interceptions. Last season, he threw 12 picks in just 11 games, posting a league-worst 4.5% interception rate.
Edge: Daniel Jones
Ability to Create
Career Reg. Season Stats | Richardson | Jones |
|---|---|---|
Intended Air Yards Per Game | 11.1 | 7.3 |
Explosive Plays Per Game | 2.9 | 2.3 |
Sack % | 5.7% | 8.5% |
Rush Yards Per Attempt | 5.7 | 5.5 |
Steichen has always been the most successful when he has an elite playmaking QB at the helm, such as Jalen Hurts or Justin Herbert. As the numbers clearly show, Richardson’s raw arm talent and athleticism give him a huge advantage over Jones.
Richardson’s arm strength is exceptional, and his deep throws can be lethal when they connect. In 15 career games, he’s completed 37 throws of at least 20 yards. In addition to his arm, Richardson can also attack defenses with his legs. His rare mobility allows him to extend plays, run away from defenders, and pick up yards on the ground.
Jones is a capable dual-threat QB himself, but Richardson is on another level. Armed with high-end physical traits, Richardson often creates something out of nothing. A young player can improve their accuracy and decision-making over time, but you can’t learn to be more athletic. That’s exactly the reason why Richardson’s ceiling is sky-high.
Edge: Anthony Richardson
The Colts have a lot invested in Richardson, so that might end up giving him the opportunity to see action in 2025 no matter what. But there is a very good chance that neither will have a long-term future in Indianapolis; the answer at quarterback might just have to wait until the 2026 NFL Draft.