One of the biggest stories of the offseason is the quarterback battle brewing for the Indianapolis Colts. Daniel Jones was brought in compete with Anthony Richardson for the QB1 job, and both quarterbacks are looking to prove themselves in 2025. Jones and Richardson have similarly struggled in their careers, and the upcoming season is seen as a make-or-break for both.
When OTAs started, both seemed to be performing well, but Richardson saw an old injury flare up again, sidelining him until training camp. That gave Jones the opportunity to take all the reps, and so far, he has evidently impressed the Colts staff. Shane Steichen has been heaping praise on Jones' performance, saying that so far, he's been "phenomenal."
“I think the great thing about him — very smart football player. He picks up things very quickly,” Steichen said. “You tell him once, he’s got a good feel for it. And even if he’s got to correct something, he’s got a great mindset of getting it corrected on the next time he goes out there."
He's doing so well that, evidently, even coaches from other teams are noticing, according to one report from The Athletic. The anonymous offensive coach told the Athletic that he expects Jones to thrive in Indy.
"This is a perfect match. They do not have to change game plans for him because that guy (Jones) can do some of what (Anthony) Richardson can do running around. That is how Jones had his best year in New York anyway.
This will be the freest Daniel Jones that we have ever seen. Expectations are off. The media market is totally different."
That take echoes one given by Dan Duggan in March, who argued that Jones' struggles were not his fault, but those of his coaches.
"I honestly think Jason Garrett (the Giants offensive coordinator from 2020-21) and Joe Judge (the Giants coach from 2020-21) might’ve broken him. They came in during his second year, and he got so concerned about turning the ball over that he became ultra-conservative, and he never really broke out of that, not even when (current Giants coach Brian) Daboll got here."
It was revealed earlier this year that Jones took a huge gamble to sign with the Colts, giving up a higher salary in Minnesota on the chance that he might win a starting job somewhere else. And so far, it appears that his instincts may have been right; while the battle isn't over yet, and Richardson might end up clawing his way back to QB1, all reports seem to indicate that the job is now Jones' to lose.