The Indianapolis Colts could be a terrific team in 2025. The overall roster is solid, and as long as the quarterback play is decent, the team is going to win a lot of games in what could be a soft AFC South. But the team made a surprising move by naming Daniel Jones as QB1.
Or maybe it was only surprising to those who don't follow Indy closely. Anthony Richardson was drafted fourth overall in the 2023 NFL draft, but he has so far been a bust for a couple of huge reasons. One is that he hasn't been very efficient when he's played. The second part is worse.
Availability is a skill, too, and AR5 has not proven he has that yet. He has played in 16 of a possible 34 games in two seasons. That isn't going to help a team win. Meanwhile, even though Jones hasn't been great either, he has at least shown up most weeks.
Indianapolis Colts QB1 Daniel Jones lays bare how he built the trust with his teammates
Has he been hurt at times? Yes. He missed eight games in 2023 after tearing his ACL. Mostly, though, when he hasn't played, it is because his former team, the New York Giants, didn't have much faith in him to play well.
Still, when asked ahead of Week 1's matchup against the Miami Dolphins, Jones might have thrown some accidental shade at Richardson. Colts fans understand the PTSD that AR5 has brought so far in his career. We don't expect him to be very good, but we also expect him to get hurt.
When asked how he has earned the trust of his teammates so quickly that he was named as one of the Indianapolis Colts' captains for the 2025 season, Jones said, "Just showing up and coming to work every day, trying to improve and grow in my understanding of the offense, and build chemistry with guys. I think you’re always developing that chemistry and that trust."
Coming to work every day is not something Anthony Richardson has been able to do. One of the reasons he might have lost the starting quarterback battle to Richardson in training camp and the preseason is that Richardson got injured again. He was able to bounce back quickly from a dislocated finger, but the damage might have been done.
Players, coaches, and Fans are not all that different. Everyone wants to be able to count on players being available to play. Teams must have consistency. The Colts don't have that with Richardson. Let's hope they do with Daniel Jones.