Dan Orlovsky might not have been the greatest Indianapolis Colts quarterback ever, but he certainly knows the position. What he lacked in raw physical skill, the quarterback-turned-NFL analyst has parlayed into excellent observational skills of what makes up a great quarterback.
But when it comes to the current Colts QB situation, Orlovsky is as confused as we all are. He recently appeared on the Query and Company show on 107.5 The Fan, and when asked specifically about Anthony Richardson, Orlovsky said it is difficult to get a read on the young quarterback simply because he misses so much time.
He is right, of course. While AR5 definitely took a step back in his second season after only playing in four games as a rookie, Richardson still missed five games in 2024 and was banged up at times, even when he did play. Still, in terms of accuracy, he was a complete failure.
Dan Orlovsky is not sold on either of the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback options
Orlovsky said, "(Richardson) hasn't played enough...For Anthony, you're still sitting there, can I string together five, six, seven starts in a row kind of thing, and that hasn't really happened. I think that continues to be the maddening thing...He gets hurt in part because he (isn't) attuned to some of the things going on (in front of him)."
Orlovsky also expounded on the play where Richardson dislocated his pinkie in preseason Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. On the play, Baltimore appeared as if they were going to bring pressure from both sides, but Richardson focused solely on trying to throw to his left. He held onto the ball a tick too long when he could have faced the pressure from his right and hit one of two open receivers.
The analyst explained that starting-quality quarterbacks in the NFL should have been able to feel the pressure and get a read pre-snap on what the defense was going to do. Richardson couldn't do it. The Colts quarterback seemed not to understand anything beyond step one of looking at pressure from the left.
Part of the issue with Anthony Richardson is so physically gifted that he never had to outthink his opponent, and now he is tasked with that. It's a skill he has never had to develop, and he might not be able to.
As far as Daniel Jones, Orlovsky believes the Indianapolis Colts would be "OK" if Jones were the starter, but Danny Dimes isn't perfect either. He appears to get the ball quicker to Indy's playmakers, but he lacks Richardson's raw skill. Ideally, Richardson would become QB1 and learn the mental part of the game much quicker in year three.
Orlovsky also feels the decision on who should be the Colts' QB1 in 2025 could not be made until preseason Week 3. Even after the decision is made, the starter will only get 4-6 weeks in the regular season to prove he needs to stay as QB1.