Will Anthony Richardson Start Week 1?
When the Indianapolis Colts drafted quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, the prevailing thought was he would need some time to develop.
Head coach Shane Steichen quickly suggested Richardson would see the field early in his tenure, because the only way to improve was to get better.
Early returns on the rookie have been good, but ESPN thinks the biggest story of OTAs for the Colts is Richardson. He's been getting challenged, and he's been meeting the challenges.
The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft has spent some time under center with the starting offense during OTAs. But as the Colts put the finishing touches on their offseason, do they start to push the envelope a bit? Indianapolis is willing to initially start Gardner Minshew at quarterback when the season begins. But if Richardson is given more opportunities with the starters and passes those tests, the pressure to promote him will mount come training camp. This will be a key week of evaluation for the Colts' future franchise quarterback. -- Stephen Holder, ESPN
Steichen for his part hasn't tried to downplay the potential that Richardson could see the field early.
"You know what, he’s done a really nice job," Steichen said of Richardson at the beginning of OTAs. "I’ve been really pleased with where he’s at mentally. He made some big plays today on the football field. He made some great throws, great decisions, some really next-level stuff that I’ve seen over the last couple days. I’m really pleased with where he’s at."
Minshew and his 8-16 career record as a starter would simply be a place holder to keep the seat warm. Richardson will get the nod as soon as they feel he won't be overwhelmed and stunt his development.
If Richardson keeps progressing at the pace he's shown early in his Colts career, it would be a surprise if he wasn't the Week 1 starter.
