The Indianapolis Colts are stuck with a weird quarterback situation. The players who battled for the QB1 spot are no longer available to play. Starter Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon in Week 13, while backup Anthony Richardson broke an orbital bone in Week 6 warmups and likely will not play the rest of the season.
No player roots for another to get injured, of course, but Richardson might have seen his chance at redemption after Jones was hurt. The initial expectation was that Jones would miss 9-12 months, which meant he would miss much of next year. Indy's starting quarterback would also need to be re-signed, as he was set for free agency in the coming offseason.
Richardson is still under contract for one more season, and the team has an option for a fifth year in 2027. That would cost the team about $13 million, all of which would be guaranteed, for a player who might remain a backup. That includes 2026, too.
Daniel Jones recent injury update is bad news for the Indianapolis Colts' Anthony Richardson
That is because, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Daniel Jones could return in 6-8 months after recently undergoing surgery on his Achilles. This would be a faster timeline than normal, and it remains to be seen if Danny Dimes can return that quickly. If he does, that's bad news for Richardson.
If Jones can return within Schefter's reported timeline, he would be back by the beginning of training camp in July. Assuming the Colts re-sign Jones, and they should, as he proved for most of this season that he can lead Indy's offense to high-end efficiency and the team to a winning record, this would mean he would be the starter again and Richardson the backup.
The positive aspect for Anthony Richardson is that he is still just 23 years old and may mature into a quality quarterback, although he has yet to do so with Indianapolis. If he does do that, it almost certainly won't be with the Colts. The hope is that Daniel Jones will become the long-term starter.
The only route Richardson had to proving he was worthy of a first-round draft pick in 2023 was to have a chance to start again, stay healthy, run head coach Shane Steichen's offense well, and get an extension from general manager Chris Ballard. If Jones is truly healthy enough to return before the 2026 season, Richardson's chance to play disappears.
The next best hope Richardson has to show he can be a starter somewhere is to be traded this coming offseason. If the Indianapolis Colts can get decent value in return for the quarterback, that should be an avenue the team explores.