Colts OTA Takeaways: Jones Stands Out as Richardson Injured Again

Colts Move Forward with Daniel Jones (For Now)

The team was conducting a competition between Richardson and Jones for the starting quarterback spot, but now Jones will get all of the on-field preparation in Richardson's absence. It now becomes much more difficult for Richardson to regain traction.

The Colts can now do some planning with Jones in mind, and he took full advantage on the field on Thursday. During 7-on-7s, he was 3-of-5 passing while the defense played physical with the pass-catchers, and then Jones was 6-of-9 during 11-on-11s, with completions to Michael Pittman Jr. (3), DJ Giddens, Alec Pierce, and AD Mitchell. In the final period of the day, the Colts simulated a two-minute drill, and Jones got the job done in just a handful of plays, hitting Pierce deep down the right sideline for about 40 or so yards, and then finding Mitchell for a four-yard touchdown just two plays later.

Injury Updates

Players who sat out on Thursday: DeForest Buckner, Jaylon Carlies, Josh Downs, Samson Ebukam, Zaire Franklin, Jaylon Jones, Isaiah Land, Maximilian Mang, Drew Ogletree, Kwity Paye, Daniel Thomas, and Charvarius Ward. Pittman got tied up and banged knees with a defender, causing him to lightly limp off the field and not return for the day. Jonathan Taylor returned to practice after spending some time working out in Florida.

For What It's Worth, Riley Leonard Gets More Reps

Many fans are intrigued by rookie sixth-round pick Riley Leonard out of Notre Dame. He realistically did not factor into the competition for starting quarterback. However, now with Richardson being out and the Colts not adding another player at the position, Leonard will get a lot more reps as the QB2, and Jason Bean as the QB3. Leonard led the second-team offense to points during their two-minute drill, as rookie kicker Maddux Trujillo converted a 40-yard field goal to punctuate the drive.

AD Mitchell Bags a Big Day

Mitchell made a few big plays, grabbing a chunk play of about 20 yards from Jones over the middle of the field during 7-on-7s, catching the two-minute touchdown, and he made an acrobatic catch along the sideline from Bean as he did a pirouette in the air and got both feet down in bounds. This is a big summer for him, and the team has been pleased with his progress so far.

Center Isn't Cut-and-Dry for Tanor Bortolini

While it seems likely that second-year player Tanor Bortolini will be the team's starting center, offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. recently told reporters that he does want to give veteran Danny Pinter an opportunity to compete for the role. Sparano was true to his word on Thursday as Pinter received the first-team reps at center.

Nick Cross Making Plays Becoming the Rule, Not the Exception

Entering his fourth season, Cross has looked so much more confident and comfortable on the field. He can make big plays in a variety of ways, and it tends to show up in some form whenever the media gets to watch. On Thursday during one series of 7-on-7s, he broke up a pass intended for Pittman while in tight coverage, and then he stripped a ball from Will Mallory as the tight end went to the ground, which could've been considered an interception.

Biggest Battle is at Kicker!

Now that Richardson vs. Jones isn't much of a contest, one of the most heated battles lies on special teams. The Colts released expensive veteran kicker Matt Gay earlier this offseason to turn the reins over to second-year kicker Spencer Shrader. However, they signed rookie undrafted free agent Trujillo after the draft, whom they also really like. Both players were a perfect 4-of-4 on field goal drills on Thursday, converting from 33, 40, 45, and 53. Trujillo technically got the added kick during the two-minute drill, making him 5-of-5. It was quite noticeable how much the ball essentially explodes off Trujillo's foot. He made multiple kicks of 60-plus yards in college at Temple.

Surprising Move in Scouting Department

One of the Colts' most prominent talent evaluators, Morocco Brown, is no longer with the team, Horseshoe Huddle confirmed on Thursday. Brown joined the Colts when Chris Ballard became general manager in 2017, with Brown serving as director of college scouting from 2017-21 before taking on a bigger role as chief personnel executive in 2022.

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