The Indianapolis Colts are still trying to find their Week 1 starter at quarterback, and the second week of the preseason will be critical. On Sunday, coach Shane Steichen revealed his plan for Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson during the Colts’ preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers next weekend.
“Daniel will start this week against Green Bay,” Steichen said on “Up & Adams.” “He’ll play a couple series, and then Anthony will get the bulk of the work for the first half after that.”
Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 Draft, got the start in the first preseason game last week, but his appearance was cut short after taking a big hit on a sack in the first quarter. Richardson didn’t see a blitzing Baltimore Ravens defender, and the subsequent hit resulted in a dislocated pinky.
Colts already in trouble at quarterback after latest Anthony Richardson injury, shaky Daniel Jones debut
Jared Dubin
The injury won’t sideline Richardson this week, but it did open the door for Jones to take the lead in this competition. Instead, Jones failed to inspire much confidence after taking over for Richardson. He completed just 10 of his 21 passing attempts for 144 yards.
“Some good, some bad, caught a rhythm there at some points, we were moving the ball well, executing,” Jones said of his Colts’ preseason debut. “But a couple things here and there kept us from getting in the end zone. A lot of good things, but we want to score touchdowns.”
This week, the Colts will get in some joint practice with the Packers in the lead-up to their preseason matchup. Steichen said that will go a long way toward helping him make a decision.
“I talk to those guys about consistency,” Steichen said. “We need consistency at that position. Joint practices will be big this week for them, obviously, going into the game.”
Between Richardson’s injury and accuracy issues and a backup plan in Jones who was jettisoned by his former team, the Colts’ quarterback room is in a very tenuous position. Perhaps one of these players can seize the reins and show another level this week, but that hasn’t happened yet.
The Colts hoped Richardson would be entrenched as the starter by this point in his career, but that has not materialized as he enters his third season. In 15 career games, Richardson has thrown for 2,391 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing only 50.6% of his attempts.
Jones, meanwhile, is getting a second chance after flaming out with the New York Giants. The Giants selected Jones at No. 6 overall in 2019. He had a few moments of promise over six seasons in New York but he was eventually benched midway through the 2024 season and later released. He caught on as a backup with the Minnesota Vikings late last season before signing a one-year, $14 million deal with the Colts in March.
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