Colts' Shane Steichen talks development of Anthony Richardson

New Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen sounds comfortable with where rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is in his development heading into the summer break. 

"Obviously, we’ll get pads on in training camp to get the real rush, the real feel and all that stuff. But pleased with where he is at, grasping the offense," Steichen said about Richardson during a news conference, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "It’s a day-by-day process with any player whether it’s quarterback, receiver, tight ends, running backs, DBs — all those different things. But pleased with where he’s at. We’ve got to keep working and we’ll go from there." 

The Colts grabbed Richardson with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft even though the 21-year-old made just 13 college starts with the Florida Gators. Richardson recently acknowledged making the transition from college to learning an NFL offense is "definitely a lot" to take in, and it's believed the raw first-year pro could spend at least a portion of his debut Indianapolis season sitting behind and learning from veteran Gardner Minshew. 

Minshew previously had Steichen as an offensive coordinator when both were with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"It was unscripted periods and call-it periods, and going from there — stuff that might’ve not been scripted over the last two weeks showed up today in the call-it period," Steichen added about Richardson handling tests such as those involving red zone and hurry-up situations. "It’s good — stress the mind on everybody and see where everyone is at." 

ESPN's Stephen Holder mentioned that Richardson very much looked like a prospect for the future while struggling during the first day of mandatory minicamp earlier this week. While Minshew praised Richardson for putting in the necessary work as it pertains to studying film and asking the right questions about the offense, it sounds like some may want to pump the figurative brakes before anointing the rookie as the Indianapolis starter for Week 1 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10.