Horseshoe Huddle

NFL Insider Sheds Light on Anthony Richardson’s Rehab Progress

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson reaggravated a shoulder injury last week.

Sean Ackerman

Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) prepares to pass in the first half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) prepares to pass in the first half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
In this story:

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen announced last week that third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson is dealing with soreness in the same shoulder he injured in his rookie season.

Richardson has been the Colts' Week 1 starter for two years straight but may be out of luck in year three. Indianapolis brought in former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones on a one-year deal worth $14 million to compete for the starting job with Richardson this offseason.

A new report from Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated revealed that Richardson's expected return date is within the first two weeks of training camp in late July and early August.

"His timeline for return to the field is still uncertain," Breer wrote. "But my sense is that the hope is he’ll be good to go within the first two weeks of training camp. Maybe he can be there by Day 1. Maybe he’ll be back at some point in early August. The main thing, for the team, is that this doesn’t recur again. So they’ll be patient and follow the recommendation that he rest the shoulder."

As previously reported, Richardson consulted with Dr. Neal ElAttrache to deal with the reaggravated injury. ElAttrache is the team physician for the Los Angeles Rams and performed surgery on Richardson's AC joint in his right throwing shoulder in 2023.

Breer made it clear that Richardson's injury should not be taken lightly, despite it being called "soreness".

"Regardless of which way that path takes Richardson, I’ve learned that any sort of injury like this to a quarterback’s throwing shoulder, elbow or wrist is not to be dismissed as “maintenance.” This one, along those lines, should most certainly be taken seriously," continued Breer.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

"The backdrop of the whole thing is that the sands in the franchise-quarterback hourglass for Richardson are starting to run thin. If he doesn’t prove himself to be the guy, and Daniel Jones doesn’t, either, I’d mark the Colts down as a team in the market to take a quarterback in the first round in 2026."

If Richardson isn't able to prove that he can stay on the field and play winning football, there should be no reason for Indianapolis to keep him in 2026. After the 2025 season, Richardson has only one more year remaining on his rookie contract. As Breer said, the sand is running thin in his hourglass.

The pressure has now been moved to Jones' shoulders to produce in this week's minicamp and in training camp later this summer.

"Jones will get his shot now," Breer wrote. "That the Vikings tried to bring him back, and were willing to pay him $15 million for the year, is a good indicator of what they thought of him after having him for the last month and a half of the 2024 season. He’s picked up the Indy offense fast, and has looked good in OTAs. Maybe he’ll wind up being a suitable answer."

If there is no clear answer by the end of the year, the Colts may try to clean house. Richardson was a big gamble from general manager Chris Ballard, but it doesn't seem to be paying off. There's still time to prove his value, but he has to stay healthy.

Should the Colts choose to draft a quarterback in 2026, a variety of options will be on the board. Players like Drew Allar, LaNorris Sellers, Garrett Nussmeier, and Arch Manning will be eligible to put their names in the draft pool.

For now, the focus should be on getting the best out of Richardson and Jones while they're still rostered.

Recommended Articles

feed

Published
Sean Ackerman
SEAN ACKERMAN

Sean Ackerman is a staff writer and broadcaster covering the NBA and NFL for three On SI publications.

Home/News