WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — General manager Chris Ballard kept promising during the offseason that he'd hold a quarterback competition for the Indianapolis Colts starter in 2025.
He's certainly not changing now.
As players reported to training camp Tuesday, Ballard told reporters he anticipates watching a vigorous battle between incumbent starter Anthony Richardson and free agent acquisition Daniel Jones. Practice begins Wednesday at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, a suburb on the northwest side of Indianapolis.
“It's important they get into (preseason) games and we'll play both of them, ” Ballard said. “I've told you all this before, but unfortunately growth does not happen through success; growth happens when you go through a lot of (stuff).”
Indy's top two quarterbacks certainly have been through plenty during their short NFL careers.
Since being taken No. 4 overall in the 2023 draft, Richardson has struggled to stay healthy. He's missed 19 of 34 games over the past two seasons, 17 with a variety of injuries and two when he was benched after taking himself out of a game last season because he admitted he needed a breather.
Richardson also missed Indy's three-day minicamp in June because of an injury to his throwing shoulder. While Richardson appears to be healthy for camp, Ballard said Indy likely would limit the number of throws in Westfield, Indiana, especially this week and next.
The other major concern is Richardson's accuracy.
Despite showing flashes of promise last season, the strong-armed former Florida star completed just 47.7% of his throws last season — the lowest rate among the NFL's regular starters. He's completed just 50.6% of his career passes.
But even as Ballard and third-year coach Shane Steichen opted for more competition, both have continued to believe Richardson eventually will fulfill the potential they saw in college.
“Do you think people regret Baker Mayfield's timeline? Sam Darnold's timeline?” Ballard said, referring to teams giving up too quickly on those quarterbacks. “So how about a little patience? You've got to have a little patience with a guy and let them grow through things. If you just know ‘This guy, no, he can't do it' ... but if you think, ‘Hey, he’s on the right trajectory' why are you going to flush him? I think we need to give Anthony every chance to be the best he can be.”
Steichen and the quarterbacks are scheduled to talk with reporters Wednesday.
The biggest concern for Jones has been consistency.
The No. 6 overall selection in the 2019 draft struggled early in his career with the New York Giants, but appeared to right things when he helped them reach the 2022 playoffs. New York rewarded Jones with a four-year, $160 million contract extension only to watch him struggle again.
He threw two TD passes in an injury-marred 2023 season and had eight TD passes and seven interceptions in 10 games last season before being benched and eventually released.
Jones finished the season in Minnesota, which let him leave in free agency.
“He's been through a lot,” Ballard said, referring to Jones. “Being in New York and the scrutiny of being a top-10 pick, it's not for everybody. But I thought he handled it with grace and class like you would expect, and that's who he is. Daniel's a very talented player, so it's going to be a fun competition to watch.”
It's unclear who holds the upper hand heading into camp or how the Colts intend to divvy up the snaps.
So Indy's top offensive playmakers — running back Jonathan Taylor and receiver Michael Pittman — are preparing to play with both.
“It's probably not what most teams are doing, but I mean you've got to do what you do,” Pittman said. "It's competition and that's the great thing about football is you compete every single year. So everybody's out here competing."
Ballard wouldn't say when he expects a decision on the starter.
But he knows the Colts will have a better chance of snapping a four-year playoff drought if they have a clear-cut winner before the Sept. 7 opener against Miami — and if that winner stays healthy.
“We have the one position we all know — we have to get the quarterback settled,” Ballard said. “That position is so important to the state of your team when you've got that position solidified. Look, it's one of 53 and it's not all about him, but he's an important piece.”
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