The Indianapolis Colts chose quarterback Riley Leonard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft, and the hope was that the Notre Dame product would take a year or two and develop into a decent backup. He might already be there, though.
What fans know is that after starter Daniel Jones was injured in Week 14 last season, the team didn't trust Leonard to take over as QB1. Instead, thanks to head coach Shane Steichen's connection, Indy gave long-retired Philip Rivers a call to step in, and Leonard stayed as the backup.
He didn't get a chance to show what he could do until Week 18 against the Houston Texans in an utterly meaningless game for Indianapolis. The problem that the quarterback caused was that Leonard was really good in the game. Good enough to certainly look like QB2 moving forward. Not so fast, though, after general manager Chris Ballard's latest comments.
Indianapolis Colts seem sold on Riley Leonard, but only to a degree
Speaking this week during his pre-draft press conference, Ballard expressed that Leonard has a "good opportunity" in organized team activities to prove further to the team of his duties in 2026 and beyond. Daniel Jones, after recovering from his torn Achilles tendon, won't be ready until maybe Week 1 of next season.
This means that Leonard could get most of the starters' reps in training camp and in the preseason. If he has developed further this offseason, he could cement his QB2 status. That is, unless Indy does something else that Ballard suggested during his presser.
A bit after expressing the team's confidence in Riley Leonard, Ballard said that the team could look to take a quarterback during the draft or potentially add one after the event. The question is why?
Currently, Indianapolis has one too many quarterbacks. Jones and Leonard are on the team, of course, but so is Anthony Richardson, a player who has requested to be traded, but no good offers have seemingly been put forth yet. Indy did have all three QBs on the roster in 2025, but only sort of.
Richardson had an orbital bone broken during Week 6 warmups and wasn't available the rest of the season. Perhaps Ballard wants to add a quarterback during or after the draft in anticipation that Richardson will be dealt eventually, but no guarantee exists of that.
Maybe the Indianapolis Colts plan on taking a quarterback in round six, as they did with Leonard, or seven, and that QB lands on the practice squad, but that is an odd risk. Ballard could also mean signing an undrafted free agent quarterback in hopes they make the practice squad, which is quite logical.
Still, what makes more sense is keeping Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard, trading Anthony Richardson, and signing a practice squad player closer to the season. Taking one during the draft should be a non-starter.
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