The shocking decision from the Indianapolis Colts to start Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson continues to reverberate throughout the NFL. It's a decision that has been widely panned.
So much so that rumors are already flying about what teams might be willing to take a chance on head coach Shane Steichen after he inevitably gets canned at the end of this season... unless, of course, everyone is wrong, and Jones pulls off some kind of miracle.
For his part, Richardson seems to have handled the news with class, although he was also openly disappointed. It's already being assumed that he will be pursuing a trade, as another team - and a better coach - could help Richardson capitalize on the potential, athleticism, and power he has to offer.
The trust between Anthony Richardson and the Colts has been broken
But in the meantime, Richardson is being the person who has garnered him so many fans in Indianapolis: disappointed, sure, but supportive of his teammate and owning the responsibility of not working hard enough.
But that's AR5. Not everyone in his camp is being so magnanimous. Richardson's agent, Deiric Jackson, held absolutely nothing back when speaking to ESPN about the decision, insinuating that Richardson has one foot out the door in Indianapolis.
"We have a lot to discuss," Jackson told ESPN of what will happen next with the Colts. "Trust is a big factor, and that is, at best, questionable right now. Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp."
But Jackson didn't stop there; he also had a bit of a dig towards both Daniel Jones and Joe Flacco. "When they needed a big play last year, whose hands did they put the ball in? Anthony's," he said.
He's not wrong; Jones may have been more reliable than Richardson, but with Jones, the ceiling is also the floor. He isn't shown in any way that he's capable of making the explosive plays that Richardson can; he can't throw dimes or run the way Richardson can. By choosing Richardson, Steichen has basically said he is content with a mediocre defense with no versatility, no power.
Yes, the argument could be - and has been - made that Jones, while less flashy and talented, offers more safety at QB, more efficiency. He offers a better chance to win now. But it's something we've heard before. The experiment didn't go well then, and there's no reason to assume it will magically go well now.
At least with Joe Flacco, you had a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback leading the offense. Jones doesn't have anywhere near that level of play to justify this move. Really, what defense in the NFL is going to be worried about facing Daniel Jones?