What’s the Colts’ plan for when Anthony Richardson struggles?

When the Indianapolis Colts get set to take the field in Week 1 in September, they’ll face a unique problem at the game’s most important position.

After drafting QB Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick this spring, the Colts got mixed reactions from fans and experts alike. On one hand, the prospect is perhaps the best athlete the position has ever seen. With a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds, Richardson can practically jump out of the building and has a cannon for an arm. 

The problem: he’s also one of the least experienced passers in the history of the game. He only started 13 games at Florida and took his team to a 6-6 record while only completing 53.8 percent of his passes. It’s clear Indianapolis selected him almost solely on his massive upside. 

Due to his lack of experience, the Colts have toyed with the idea of benching him for a few games while he continues to pick up the system. With precious few game reps thus far, Richardson will face a long road of improvement if he hopes to become the elite quarterback he was drafted to be. 

Many fans, as well as owner Jim Irsay, have advocated for Richardson to start in Week 1, with the argument that “he has to play to get better”. If he is to be forged through fire this fall, the Colts can expect to get burned more than a few times.

It isn’t feasible to believe that such an undeveloped prospect can step in and lead a team to a playoff berth right away, or look good doing it. The process will be long and likely filled with mistakes.

If the Colts do plan to throw him into the fire Week 1, they’ll have to support him through it. Quarterback Ryan Leaf, who has been labeled one of the biggest draft busts of all time after being drafted second overall in 1998, took to NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football’ to remind the organization in Indianapolis of its duty to the young QB.

“If you do decide to go with him, you have to have a plan in place. You have to have a plan in place for him when he fails because he's going to; it's natural. The Chargers didn't have a plan for me. I certainly didn't have a coping mechanism or plan in place for when things went bad for me.”