What will be the biggest challenge for the Colts in the 2023 season?

The Indianapolis Colts are getting their 2023 season started on Tuesday, when they report for training camp. While it’ll be a couple of weeks before they even play a preseason game, training camp serves as the day the page really turns to the next season, as teams start preparing to be better, and hopefully make a run.

For the Colts, this will be an incredibly important training camp. Indy hired Shane Steichen this offseason, and this will be his first training camp as a head coach. Additionally, Indianapolis has a rookie QB in Anthony Richardson that the franchise will be getting prepared to eventually start. There are also several veterans entering important seasons, for one reason or another.

With so many different factors, it’s fair to ask what will be the biggest challenge for the Colts this season. In addition to the things listed above, the team is coming off a 4-12-1 year. What should Indianapolis most be worried about as it tries to improve?

Eric Edholm answered that question in a recent piece for NFL.com, where he named the biggest challenge for all 32 teams. For the Colts, Edholm believes the biggest challenge will be “not putting too much on Anthony Richardson’s plate early.”

Colts biggest challenge will be not overwhelming Anthony Richardson

Edholm explained how “tempting” it is to just throw Richardson out there in Week 1 and see what he can do. However, he knows that could be detrimental if the young quarterback isn’t ready. That’s why Edholm believes, “finding the sweet spot for naming [Richardson] the starter will be one of Steichen's most important challenges during his first season in the big chair.”

This is a fair assessment by Edholm, and something that Shane Steichen agrees with. Steichen didn’t say this would be the team’s biggest challenge, but in a recent interview, he did agree that one of the biggest keys to helping young quarterbacks is not overloading them with information. Steichen doesn’t want to overwhelm Richardson early, so although the goal is to get him on the field, it will be done wisely.

Training camp will be when Steichen and the Colts learn just how much Richardson can handle. If he’s comfortable with everything thrown his way throughout camp and the preseason, he’ll be Indy’s Week 1 starter.

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