The Indianapolis Colts selected quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Here’s why he was the right pick for Indy.
Gone are the questions surrounding what the Indianapolis Colts will do with their quarterback problems, the answer has now arrived in Indianapolis. Anthony Richardson, out of Florida, emerged as one of the best raw talents in the entire draft, and the Colts saw his value and have now entrusted this man with their franchise.
With the vast amount of quarterback controversies, failures, and everything in between, Colts nation is hoping that Richardson is the one to solve all of it. So what exactly makes this such a good decision? And why will Richardson be a successful quarterback in this new Indianapolis system?
3. Anthony Richardson’s raw talent is unique
Talent matters as we transition into some of the top quarterbacks in the league winning with their athletic prowess while also having a very reliable arm. Richardson has all these tools to succeed, we saw it at Florida, and we also saw it at the Combine. In terms of measurables, he comes in at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds, and uses that size to make plays whether that is with his legs or his arm.
He has the size, he has the arm, and he has all of the natural talent one could ask for when you are developing your quarterback, and that is what it will come down to with Richardson, his development.
Richardson still needs work when it comes to his touch, accuracy, and pre-snap reads, but these are all coachable at the NFL level. While it may take some time to harness these talents, Richardson, if given enough time, can become a very dynamic quarterback in this league.
There have been a number of quarterbacks that have come into the league with this raw-talent-that-needs-to-be-developed issue, and many of them have worked out such as Josh Allen. If Richardson can be anywhere close to the player Allen is, the Colts will be just fine and then some.
2. Shane Steichen is the perfect coach for Anthony Richardson
Remember how the Philadelphia Eagles almost went out and won a Super Bowl? Remember how good Jalen Hurts was in that stretch? That is how Anthony Richardson will be used in this new and improved Shane Steichen offense, as this is the new norm for usage of a quarterback in the NFL.
Hurts took some time to develop in terms of arm accuracy, but always had this physical and hard style of running that people questioned if it would succeed at the next level.
Anthony Richardson will have to undergo some of the same struggles in terms of accuracy development, and no Richardson did not play for Alabama, but he did see the elite defenses of the SEC.
This is where Steichen comes in, he has shown the history of developing quarterbacks such as Hurts and Justin Herbert when he was with the Chargers. Steichen's offense is built for quarterbacks to let it fly, and move around when necessary, and Richardson is someone who will look to thrive in this offense.
You also have the aspect of a first-year head coach looking to develop with a first-year quarterback, and if this all goes right, the Colts have a situation where their franchise quarterback and their franchise head coach both develop together. These two will look to build a great deal of chemistry, and that is something that can greatly outweigh talent in the NFL.
1. Anthony Richardson will thrive with Jonathan Taylor and Colts offense
For this offense to work with a new quarterback, and a new head coach, there needs to be a great deal of talent surrounding that player. The Colts have that, while there is still work to do, it is undeniable that having arguably the best running back in football, a star receiver in Michaell Pittman Jr., a developing receiving core, and a solid offensive line will help Richardson’s development a ton.
Jonathan Taylor, especially, is going to be one of Anthony Richardson's favorite people to work with in this offense. Pairing his dynamic playmaking ability with the athleticism of Richardson is going to make for some fun and unstoppable read-option plays.
While one has to hope the Colts do not become too reliant on that option offense, it is going to be great for a young quarterback to have plays like that to rely on to get chunks of yardage as he grows and develops. The threat of a quarterback with great mobility is something the Colts have not been able to experiment with too much throughout their history, so now there is a very unique opportunity here.
It is all about keeping defensive coordinators up at night when it comes to winning in this league, and having to account for the wide variety of plays a guy like Richardson opens up is going to have defensive rooms in the AFC South working overtime all season long.
This relies on Taylor staying healthy, but if he does, Indianapolis is going to be one of the more fun offenses to watch in the entire NFL.