When will Anthony Richardson likely make his first start for the Colts?
The Indianapolis Colts finally have a young, talented quarterback in Anthony Richardson. Now the question is, when will he take the field as a starter?
In the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected quarterback Anthony Richardson. The former Florida Gator is just 20 years old with off-the-charts athleticism. Everyone admits that he has an extremely high ceiling, but with some inconsistent accuracy in his 13 starts, there’s an expectation that he will need time to grow.
This has created somewhat of a debate about when Richardson should start for the Colts. Team owner Jim Irsay made clear that he wants Richardson to play as a rookie, arguing that guys get better by playing. However, Irsay is deferring to head coach Shane Steichen for when Richardson will make his first start.
Gary Davenport, in a recent piece for Bleacher Report, predicted when each quarterback that was selected in the 2023 Draft will make their first start. For Richardson, Davenport predicts that he will be Indy’s Week 1 starter for the 2023 season.
Anthony Richardson predicted to be Week 1 starter for Colts
Davenport makes the case that between Irsay’s desire for Richardson to play, and Indy’s current quarterback depth chart where Gardner Minshew is the projected starter, the starting QB job is essentially Richardson’s to lose. That’s why the prediction is that Anthony Richardson will be starting Week 1 of the 2023 season.
Everyone is likely hoping that Richardson can put things together quickly throughout the offseason and the preseason, so that he can start the season with confidence. That’s, of course, the best-case scenario. If Week 1 rolls around, and Richardson is still considerably struggling, the Colts will have to weigh certain factors as they make the important decision.
Will Indianapolis start the QB that gives them the best shot at winning, or prioritize Richardson’s growth. Additionally, the team has to make sure that if Richardson is playing, he’s playing in a set of circumstances that won't allow the young quarterback to be ruined.
A lot has to unfold before Indianapolis even has to make this decision. Richardson was just drafted less than a week ago and hasn’t even stepped on a practice field yet. There should be more clarity about where Richardson is on the depth chart at the end of the summer.