At some point in 2023, a new era will dawn for the Indianapolis Colts. Their new franchise quarterback, Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, will eventually take over as the starter and presumed face of the team. When that will be is anyone’s guess as he will be in a training camp battle with veteran Gardner Minshew this summer.
There are still a few things that Richardson needs to work on before he can take over the starting job, such as improving his consistency. He has worked tirelessly on his mechanics and is doing everything in his power to be prepared to take over this offense.
The entire organization, from ownership down through the front office and coaching staff, should be doing everything they can to ensure Richardson is in a position to succeed. Surrounding him with as much talent as possible is one way to do it.
Continuing to upgrade the roster is exactly what ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates believes the Colts should do this offseason. The one move that he has suggested for the franchise is signing offensive guard, Dalton Risner.
“It wasn’t long ago that the Colts’ offensive line was not just the best unit on the roster but also one of the best in the NFL. The collective play in 2022 was mediocre, and the depth has thinned out in a hurry. Will Fries projects as the top right guard, with 2020 draft pick Danny Pinter behind him. Risner is the best available guard at the moment and would likely slot into a starting gig after serving as a starter for all 62 games he played with the Broncos over the past four seasons. Whenever you draft a young quarterback, having as many capable players around him is simply good business. Risner would help Anthony Richardson immediately.”
It is a bit shocking that Risner remains a free agent. He has been solid as a starter throughout his career with the Denver Broncos after being a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Kansas State.
Risner would bolster a number of starting units across the NFL, including the Colts, and be an elite backup and depth option for teams looking to shore things up in the trenches. If Indianapolis was able to snag him at this stage of the offseason, it would be a good get for the team.
As Yates noted, it wasn’t long ago that the Colts had arguably the best offensive line in the NFL. Numerous factors have contributed to their performance falling off recently but it is something that needs to be addressed.
Even the greatest quarterbacks would struggle behind a poor offensive line, let alone a raw rookie starter such as Richardson. There is only so much that his athleticism and rushing ability would be able to make up for shotty offensive line play.
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