INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� Backup quarterback Anthony Richardson took snaps with the Indianapolis Colts starters while Daniel Jones stuck to the positional group stuff Wednesday.
It may not be Indy’s ideal combination or even a likely one heading into the Sept. 13 season opener.
But just seeing and Jones working on the same practice field created some semblance of stability at a position that鈥檚 been anything but for the Colts lately.
A lot has changed from 12 months ago when the two first-round draft picks were competing for Indy’s starting job.
while Richardson, once considered the potential franchise quarterback, finds himself battling Riley Leonard for the No. 2 job 鈥� and to stay with the team that drafted him No. 4 overall in 2023.
鈥淗im (Richardson) and Riley will compete,鈥� Colts coach Steve Steichen said after workouts. “We鈥檒l flip the reps every other day. I mean, they get the same reps with the ones and the twos every day through OTAs. it鈥檚 50/50. They’re competing just like everyone鈥檚 competing. We鈥檝e got certain guys competing at certain spots and that鈥檚 one of the positions they are competing at.鈥�
Jones understands what Richardson is going through.
When the New York Giants drafted him No. 6 overall in 2019, the former Duke star was supposed to be the Giants’ long-time solution at quarterback. In his fourth season, Jones took the Giants to the playoffs and was rewarded with a big contract.
Two years later, he was benched, then asked for his release, signed with the Minnesota Vikings and eventually landed in Indy last season.
Naturally, the Colts are playing it safe with their biggest offseason investment as Jones continues to recover from a broken bone in his left leg and a torn right Achilles tendon. The injuries derailed his season. He re-signed with Indy in March, agreeing to and a chance to push the total to as much as $100 million 鈥� if he continues to stay healthy and play at last season’s level.
Jones started throwing before the draft, but Wednesday marked the first time reporters saw him on a field since he suffered the Achilles tendon injury Dec. 7 at Jacksonville.
鈥淚 think you鈥檝e got to be realistic and understand the body鈥檚 got to heal,鈥� Jones said, still hopeful of playing in Week 1 against Baltimore. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a process to it. And you try to focus on kind of what the next goal is and understand what the long-term goal is, but you focus on the more immediate short-term next milestone that you鈥檙e trying to accomplish.鈥�
Richardson, meanwhile, wasn’t even supposed to be here in late May.
Richardson appeared in just four games as a rookie because of a shoulder injury, completing just 47.7% of his throws in Year 2 and losing the starting job to Jones last year. Then the injury-prone Richardson fractured an orbital bone in a freak pregame stretching incident and never took another snap.
In February, the Colts gave Richardson and his agent So far, though, nothing has materialized so after skipping the first round of Colts workouts, Richardson returned. The strong-armed, more slender-looking Richardson now seems content with whatever happens in Indy, which did not exercise the fifth-year extension on Richardson’s rookie contract.
鈥淚 signed a contract, so I鈥檓 still on this team regardless of the trade stuff,鈥� he said. “I鈥檝e got an obligation to this team to come out here and play and perform and be ready to play if they need me. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 weird or awkward. I鈥檓 not really focused on (the trade) right now, I鈥檓 here, I鈥檓 just trying to make sure I鈥檓 staying healthy and keeping everything up there in the mind sharp.鈥�
The bigger questions for the Colts are when will Jones be ready to play and will Richardson still be around when the season begins.
Steichen said Jones’ recovery is on schedule, maybe slightly ahead of schedule.
鈥淣ext week, I might get him into some seven on seven,鈥� Steichen said. “We鈥檒l look into that, and see how this week goes, but he鈥檚 doing really good.鈥�
As for Richardson, he’s more cautious.
鈥淩ight now he鈥檚 here,鈥� Steichen said. “Obviously, he hasn鈥檛 rescinded the trade, but he鈥檚 engaged, he鈥檚 in the meetings and he鈥檚 competing for a job.鈥�
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