Don’t ask Shane Steichen about Anthony Richardson’s future in Indianapolis; he won’t give you a clear answer. This is one of the main issues Steichen faces, as the season that owner Jim Irsay thought would be promising has turned into uncertainty.
What has happened instead is that Richardson has regressed in his second season, leaving the Colts unsure of what to do. They have a quarterback who needs experience, confidence, and patience.
However, he’s on a team that cannot offer him any of those things. Does this mean, with his recent injury ruling him out for the season finale, that he might be on his way out?
Probably not, but if you ask those who should know the answer, they won’t be clear about it. And that’s a problem for the 2024 Indianapolis Colts.
Richardson’s future with the Colts is now even more uncertain after his latest injury update. When the Colts drafted Richardson fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, they were hoping to find their franchise quarterback. They had gone through several aging veterans trying to find a successor after Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement.
The issue with this approach was that they put all their faith in a player who may not have been the best fit for them. Richardson struggled in college, starting only 13 games, and has not yet played a full season in the NFL.
The Colts tried to surround Richardson with pieces that would ease the pressure on a young quarterback. In a way, the Colts thought they were just a quarterback away from being able to compete for a playoff spot.
After all, making the playoffs in the struggling AFC South shouldn’t have been too hard. But they haven’t made it in the past four years. And in the most crucial game of the season, Richardson was sidelined with back spasms, which turned out to be more serious than Steichen initially said.
This is a reflection of his NFL career so far and may be part of a pattern the Colts can’t avoid. Because of his health issues, Irsay, general manager Chris Ballard, and Steichen will have to decide what to do.
Is it worth waiting to see if Richardson can reach his potential? He showed flashes of his abilities this season, but his stats don’t support it. His completion percentage under 50% is not entirely his fault.
However, he was drafted to bring the one thing the Colts needed. He hasn’t shown much leadership yet, and his actions have seemed immature. He hasn’t played like a quarterback who is ready to lead Indianapolis back to its winning ways.
The Colts may give Richardson another chance next season, as they don’t have many other options at the moment. But that doesn’t mean they won’t consider trading him if another team is willing to take a chance. Either way, Richardson won’t be playing on Sunday, and this might be the last time he’s listed on the Colts’ roster.
