'Wow': Former Colts coach says Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones have key difference

The ongoing competition for the Indianapolis Colts' starting quarterback job between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones could understandably cause some outsiders to assume the club's long-term answer at the position isn't on its roster this summer. 

For a piece produced by The Athletic's James Boyd that was published on Wednesday evening, former Colts coach and current radio analyst Rick Venturi touched upon what he saw from Richardson and Jones during the early days of training camp. 

"He’s never gonna wow you," Venturi said about Jones. "You’re never gonna walk out of here going, 'Oh, my God, yeah.' But he does everything pretty well, and he’s a much better athlete than people give him credit for. Now, Richardson? He gives you more, 'Wow,' and I think if it remains close, they’ll go with him."

Jones did plenty well when he helped the 2022 New York Giants reach the playoffs and earn a road postseason win. According to Pro Football Reference, he ended that campaign ranked sixth in the league among qualified players with a 62.9 adjusted QBR. Of course, he more recently went 3-13 over his final 16 starts with the Giants before they showed him the door in November 2024. 

That said, Richardson finished the 2024 season ranked last in the league among qualified quarterbacks with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 61.6 passer rating. Additionally, injuries and a two-game benching limited the 2023 first-round draft pick to just 15 starts over his first two pro campaigns. 

Venturi noted that Richardson still has to prove he can "make the layup" throws given to him by defenses during games. However, Venturi also suggested the 23-year-old has shown signs of improvement this summer. 

"Every time he throws a ball that looks decisive, you’re happy with it," Venturi added about Richardson. "This week, he’s done that better than I’ve seen him do it in a long time."

As of Thursday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Richardson as a -350 betting favorite to start Indianapolis' Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins over Jones (+255 odds). It will be interesting to see how those odds change after both Richardson and Jones see action in Indianapolis' preseason opener at the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 7.