Colts QB Anthony Richardson has to make strong first impression in preseason debut

While it's only one preseason game, it's still a pretty big opportunity for Richardson to make a good first impression in a game setting. 

This is one of the few open quarterback competitions in the NFL this preseason, and given the Colts' investment in Richardson, it is imperative that they not only find out what they have in him, but that he also develops into a good starting quarterback.

Ever since Andrew Luck abruptly retired, the Colts have been using a revolving door of starting quarterbacks without ever finding a long-term solution or even a good short-term solution. When they took Richardson No. 4 overall in 2023, the hope was that he could be that player.

So far, it has not worked out for either the Colts or Richardson.

Injuries have derailed a lot of his development, while he has struggled with consistency when he has been able to stay on the field. He has flashed big-play ability with both his legs and arm, connecting on several deep downfield passes that wow everybody. He is capable of making the types of throws that make it easy to dream on him and his potential and the type of throws that only a small handful of quarterbacks in the league can make.

But for as impressive as some of the big, highlight-reel throws can be, he has badly struggled with his accuracy and consistency on the shorter and mid-level passes. That inconsistency resulted in the Colts bringing in the veteran Jones as a free agent this offseason to push Richardson. 

If you gave the Colts front office and coaching staff some truth serum and got their honest thoughts, they would almost certainly say they want — and need — Richardson to take command of the competition and the job. While his career has been a disappointment so far, his upside remains enormous and significantly higher than that of Jones. 

At this point, there is no secret as to what type of quarterback Jones is given how much playing time he received with the New York Giants. And that quarterback is not a particularly good one. If he beats out Richardson for the job, it would be a testament to how little progress Richardson has shown and make it far more likely that they wasted a top-five pick and set the franchise back a few years at the most important position on the field.

You don't want to overreact to the preseason. But not all preseason games are created equal. This is a big opportunity for Richardson to show he can — and should — still be the Colts' guy.