Training camp is looming for the Indianapolis Colts, and not long after that, preseason will begin. It's safe to say that this year is a must-win for many members of the Colts, all of whom know their jobs are on the line. General manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen both need to see the Colts make the playoffs if they want to stay in Indy, and both Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones need to win the QB1 spot in training camp, and then keep it throughout the season. Richardson is in the last year of his rookie contract, and Jones only signed a one-year contract, openly admitting that he was gambling on winning the starting spot. But even if he does, being merely serviceable may not be enough to keep him from being replaced in next year's draft.
But what will happen when the season actually begins? The million-dollar question is still up in the air, and with neither Richardson nor Jones having truly wowed anyone so far in their NFL careers, it's hard to tell how much the Colts can really accomplish without what is arguably the most important position on the roster settled.
Albert Breer gave a rundown of offseason thoughts for each team, and to no one's surprise, he wonders how well the Colts can perform as a team without a great quarterback leading them.
"Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Colts’ fate will be dictated by who plays quarterback. Daniel Jones will enter the summer with a great shot to win the job, with Anthony Richardson coming back from an injury to his throwing shoulder. The offense has a shot to be pretty interesting, with rookie tight end Tyler Warren joining a balanced if unspectacular, skill group. And I’d bet Lou Anarumo will make a difference right away on defense. Which, again, leaves the quarterback as the swing factor."Albert Breer
Nothing he said will be all that surprising to Colts fans, but it doesn't make it much easier to read. However, that doesn't mean there aren't any silver linings.
It's not much of a high bar, but the defense should almost certainly improve from last year. And Tyler Warren will help whoever ends up winning the QB job; we already saw that at OTAs. The Colts may not be quite Super Bowl-caliber yet, but there's enough here to be optimistic about... for now.