Insider shares worrisome take about Colts' Anthony Richardson missing time with shoulder issue

Eyebrows were raised when Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed on June 5 that Anthony Richardson would not participate during the team's mandatory minicamp due to an injury to his throwing shoulder that was operated on in October 2023.

For a piece published Monday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared that Richardson "complained to coaches that he was experiencing pain" in his shoulder on May 29. Richardson is expected to rest the shoulder until further notice, and it's unclear if he'll be ready for work when the Colts begin training camp in July. 

"Richardson will also visit this week with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who did the surgery in 2023, to try to gather more information in trying to build the best path forward," Breer explained. "Regardless of which way that path takes Richardson, I’ve learned that any sort of injury like this to a quarterback’s throwing shoulder, elbow or wrist is not to be dismissed as 'maintenance.' This one, along those lines, should most certainly be taken seriously."

Concerns that Richardson may be too injury-prone to serve as a long-term answer at the sport's most important position hovered over the Colts before they signed former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones in March. Richardson suffered a concussion in his second career regular-season start, and the 2023 first-round draft pick played in just four games that campaign before his shoulder needed surgery. 

More recently, Richardson missed time last season because of an oblique injury and due to severe back spasms. He was also benched for a pair of contests after he took himself out of a game because he was "tired." 

In total, Richardson has thus far made just 15 career regular-season starts. As of Monday afternoon, FanDuel Sportsbook listed Jones as a -166 betting favorite to be Indianapolis' Week 1 QB1 versus the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 7. FanDuel had Richardson as a +126 underdog to win the competition over Jones. 

"He’s picked up the Indy offense fast, and has looked good in (organized team activities)," Breer said about Jones. "Maybe he’ll wind up being a suitable answer. Maybe Richardson will come back strong from the injury. But there definitely aren’t any sure things moving forward. It should be an interesting summer in Indy."

It sounds as if it's at least somewhat possible that Richardson has already taken his last meaningful in-game snap as a member of the Colts.