Does Colts' Zaire Franklin still believe in Anthony Richardson with Daniel Jones looming?

Some in the NFL community think it's only a matter of time before Daniel Jones replaces Anthony Richardson as the Indianapolis Colts' starting quarterback. 

During a Friday appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" program, Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin indicated he hasn't yet given up on Richardson. 

"I love Anthony," Franklin said, NFL.com's Kevin Patra shared. "Obviously, being in there with him in the trenches through the highs and lows of the season last year, it was tough, but [I'm] obviously supporting him and his growth."

The perception exists that Richardson lost some locker room respect after he took himself out of a game this past fall because he was "tired." Head coach Shane Steichen benched the 2023 first-round draft pick for a pair of contests, and it's unknown how long Steichen would've kept Richardson on the sidelines had veteran Joe Flacco played well in his two starts. 

Of course, the "tired" controversy is only one reason Richardson will find himself competing with Jones later this year. As a pro, Richardson has missed an entire season's worth of games due to injury setbacks. Pro Football Reference shows he ended the 2024 campaign ranked last among qualified players with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 61.6 passer rating.

Like Richardson and Jones, some saw Sam Darnold as a quarterback who would never become a legitimate playoff-caliber starter for any franchise as recently as last year. He then guided the 2024 Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record and a postseason berth before he received a three-year, $100.5M contract from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month.

"I think with the turn of how we've seen some of these quarterbacks who were drafted extremely high get put in new situations and are able to blossom, you watch Geno Smith, you watch Sam Darnold," Franklin added during the segment. "The list goes on of these different guys who just get in another building — Baker Mayfield — and they're able to, with a fresh set of eyes and a fresh set of situations, be able to be successful and be able to play up to the expectations of their draft status."

Franklin seems to believe Jones can overcome the lows of his New York Giants tenure and thrive under Steichen if Richardson shows little or no improvement. If nothing else, Indianapolis supporters and football fans alike should have at least one reason to watch Colts preseason games this coming August.