Insider addresses if Colts' Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson competition is over

Indianapolis Colts reporter James Boyd of The Athletic raised some eyebrows when he wrote on June 23 that free-agency signing Daniel Jones "has already taken a significant lead in what was supposed to be a wide-open quarterback competition" over third-year pro Anthony Richardson. 

For a mailbag posted on Wednesday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared whether he thinks the Indianapolis quarterback battle is settled after Richardson was shut down from throwing in late May because he experienced discomfort in his surgically-repaired shoulder. 

"Richardson can win the job back," Breer said. "The team spent the No. 4 (draft) pick on him in 2023. The GM and coach who took him are still in-house. Logically, if the pick is one that could get Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen fired, both would have a vested interest in winding up being right about it in the end. So there’s no reason for anyone there not to want the light to come on for Richardson." 

One worry is that the figurative light won't come on for the 23-year-old anytime soon. Pro Football Reference stats show that Richardson ended the 2024 season ranked last in the league with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 36 percent passing success rate. Additionally, injury setbacks and a two-game benching limited him to 15 starts over his first two pro campaigns. 

While Jones went 3-13 over his final 16 starts with the New York Giants, he showed during the 2022 season that he can play well enough to guide a club to a postseason berth and to a road playoff win. 

"My understanding is Daniel Jones had a really solid spring," Breer added. "And since Anthony Richardson was sidelined with the injury to his throwing shoulder, it’s hard to see how there wouldn’t be a gap between the two — based on where Richardson was at the end of the season, which necessitated the team signing Jones in the first place."

It remains to be seen if Richardson will be able to play when the Colts open the preseason with a matchup at the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 7. If he can't, Jones could be given a chance to win the Week 1 job on that Thursday evening.