The Indianapolis Colts sent social media into a frenzy by naming Daniel Jones — not Anthony Richardson — as the team’s QB1 for the 2025 NFL season.
After inking Jones to a lucrative, one-year deal over the offseason, head coach Shane Steichen made it clear that the starting position was up for grabs. Richardson, oft-injured and still raw, made strides throughout training camp, keeping the competition a true toss-up in the minds of fans and media alike.
However, Richardson’s inexperience continued to rear its ugly head in the preseason opener, when the third-year player was lit up after failing to recognize the oncoming blitz.
As a result, AR’s pinkie was bent sideways, and the Colts quickly ruled him out of the game. That left Jones with increased opportunity. It was effectively the final nail in Richardson’s proverbial coffin.
The Colts made a fatal error settling for Daniel Jones in free agency
Although the battle played out as if Indy was giving each quarterback a fair shot, Steichen’s comments after naming Jones QB1 called those intentions into question. Per Steichen, Jones’ leadership ability in the huddle, work ethic, experience, and accuracy tipped the scales in his favor.
All traits that Richardson lacks to a certain degree, according to the Colts staff itself. So, if these were the prerequisites for Steichen finding a starting quarterback, and AR hadn’t shown marked improvement, why did the franchise settle for Jones in free agency?
The team’s idea of a steady presence at quarterback is a veteran sporting a 24-44-1 NFL record? Why not aim higher than that?
To Jones’ credit, since arriving in Indy, he has done everything the coaches asked. The 28-year-old is routinely the first in the building and the last to leave. Still, all of the good he’s accomplished off the field will not outweigh his shortcomings on the gridiron.
At best, the Colts have a limited game manager at quarterback. At worst? It could be a rerun of the disastrous 2022 campaign. But it didn’t have to be this way. If the Colts were so unsure of Richardson’s ability, on the field and off, the front office should have prioritized adding a higher upside — or more proven — option behind center.
Justin Fields is the best of both worlds
One could argue that Justin Fields is similar to Anthony Richardson, given the two players’ underwhelming performances with the teams that drafted them. But not so fast. I actually think Fields is the perfect blend of Richardson and Daniel Jones.
He would have presented the Colts with an immediate option behind center, but one that could have blossomed into a long-term option. Whatever you think of Richardson, very few believe Jones will start for the Colts past 2025.
With Fields, who has progressed mightily since a horrid rookie year, Steichen could have had the best of both worlds. The former Bear signed with the New York Jets early in free agency, netting a two-year, $40 million deal with most of the guarantees coming in 2025. Not far off from the yearly amount that Jones received from Indy.
Sam Darnold might have been the Colts’ answer
If Fields wasn’t polished enough in the pocket for Steichen’s liking, what about 2024 breakout star Sam Darnold? The USC Trojan product revived his career with a short stint in San Francisco in 2023, learning the craft from head coach Kyle Shanahan, before taking his talents to Minnesota last season.
As a Viking, Darnold finally realized the potential that infatuated NFL teams when he came out of college. He completed a career-high 66.2% of his passes, along with 35 touchdowns, en route to a 14-win regular season.
The 28-year-old parlayed that impressive showing into a $100 million deal from the Seahawks. But in reality, it’s a hefty one-year deal with very minimal guarantees after that. Simply put, if the Colts identified Darnold as a difference-maker, which, in comparison to Jones, he is, then a higher-priced, short-term commitment would have been Steichen’s best chance at potentially saving his job.
Russell Wilson has plenty of NFL experience
The remaining two options cannot match Jones’ youth, but they are each arguably better at everything on the football field.
First up, Russell Wilson. Although polarizing in recent years, it’s hard to deny his pedigree as a leader and proven winner. Since leaving Seattle, the veteran has lost a step, but too many folks confuse that slight regression with Wilson being washed. And it’s unequivocally not true.
As a Bronco and Steeler, the former Super Bowl champion showed the ability to command an offense, even in the twilight of his career. Along with his accuracy and ability to stretch the field, Wilson also boasts the mental intangibles that Steichen never saw develop in Richardson.
That alone should have made Wilson a target over Jones. His contract (one-year, $10.5 million) would have been a discount in comparison.
Aaron Rodgers: Worth the distraction
Last but certainly not least, the enigma himself, Aaron Rodgers. Let me be clear: if the Colts viewed Rodgers as too big a distraction, that’s a valid reason to pass on him. But, strictly from an X’s and O’s standpoint, it’s impossible to imagine a better fit for Steichen’s scheme out of the options available in the offseason.
At 41 years old, Rodgers’ best days are undeniably behind him. However, his numbers were incredible relative to the messy situation he found himself in with the Jets. His 28 touchdowns would have been the most for any Colts signal-caller since Andrew Luck rode off into the sunset. Rodgers is also significantly more accurate than his 2024 completion percentage portrays.
For all his faults, the four-time NFL MVP is one of the best quarterbacks ever. Rodgers sports 500+ career touchdowns to only 116 interceptions — good for the best interception percentage in NFL history.
Getting that for essentially the same price as Jones makes it a no-brainer. Even if Rodgers is more game manager than a four-time NFL MVP, that is exactly what this version of the Colts roster needs. Boisterous personality and all, Indy could regret choosing a journeyman quarterback over the future Hall of Famer.