Colts Qs: What's the Potential with Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones?

The Indianapolis Colts are in their final week of training camp, with just one practice left to go on Thursday, which is a joint practice where they'll host the Green Bay Packers at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind.

On Saturday, the Colts and Packers will face off at Lucas Oil Stadium in their second preseason game before finishing off the preseason slate next Saturday on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.

There is so much on the top of mind for Colts fans at the moment, between the quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, how roster battles are shaping up, the way injuries are piling up on defense, and much more.

Today was a good time to open the doors back up for another edition of "Colts Qs," where Horseshoe Huddle readers get all their questions answered by someone on the ground every day observing the team.

Let's get to it!

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) prepares to catch the ball during Indianapolis Colts training camp. — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) prepares to catch the ball Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, during Indianapolis Colts Training Camp at Grand Park in Westfield. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"What’s your record prediction for each QB? If Richardson wins it and does manage to stay healthy. Or if Jones wins the job." -- Matty Ice, Twitter

"When will the battle be decided?" -- Stefan E., Twitter

"If Daniel Jones gets the job, who, by reports, plays it safe, how will the offense look compared to what we saw with Gardner Minshew- will it look different than that?" -- Little Jeff Saturday, Twitter

"When do the Colts admit that this months-long qb battle revealed…that both QBs are exactly who we suspected they are, that they’re still choosing between a highly volatile guy with potential and a steady guy who’s probably below average?" -- Philip Schatz, Twitter

"I believe AR should get the nod if the competition is close, since AR will do one of 3 things: 1. Eventually get hurt (not mutually exclusive). 2. Break out and be a good-great QB (5th-year option decision after the season). 3. Continue to be only potential, and bust. Daniel Jones can win them more games with this offense, but for the long-term, they need clarity on AR. Do you agree or disagree? Feel free to elaborate/continue down this train of thought." -- BigJones(?)Energy, Twitter

Matty, I'd definitely like to see each guy more in the preseason to see how they move the offense before saying what record they could reach. It's obviously a dumbed-down version of the offense, but it's something. With that said, with what we do know about each player, I see the range anywhere from 7-10 to 10-7, with either quarterback. Richardson, I think, is more capable of digging the Colts out of holes late in games, while probably being the more likely one to put them in those holes. Jones can likely keep the offense on track and sustain longer drives, but he's not going to be winning any shootouts.

I initially thought the QB decision would be made after the Packers preseason game, which it still might, but it certainly feels this one might go the distance. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear a decision until after the August 23 preseason finale.

I think a Jones-led offense would look similar to a Minshew-led offense, with Jones likely running with the ball a little more. And while both players seem averse to the downfield passing game, I do think Jones would attempt some downfield shots a little more often. I think Shane Steichen learned from that 2023 season.

Philip, I think they're comfortable with that, honestly. I think the Colts wanted to see a guy in Jones who they could reliably (albeit unspectacularly) run an offense through and who was sharp with the mental aspects of playing quarterback. As for Richardson, they wanted to see the strong work ethic and continued growth in his mechanics and footwork that would smooth out some of the radical peaks and valleys.

If the competition remains close by the time they need to make a decision, I agree that Richardson should probably get the nod because he offers more potential with the offense, thanks to his abilities on the ground and his propensity for big pass plays. He also avoids sacks as well as anyone in the league, and has that clutch gene in late-game situations that can be difficult to find. However, a significant factor in the Colts' decision could be the aspects that are not publicly known, such as how each quarterback handles the mental demands of the position, including pre-snap reads and adjustments, and their ability to execute the team's play calls effectively throughout each play.

"Why didn't Ballard draft Shedeur Sanders? He's already better than both Jones and Richardson." -- Brian Haas, Twitter

In fairness, it's not like Ballard stood alone there. Time after time, when given the chance, all 32 teams passed on Sanders until the Browns pulled the trigger in the fifth round. I viewed Sanders as a decent prospect worth taking anytime beginning in the back half of the first round -- certainly not a Day-3 prospect, talent-wise. However, I don't think teams wanted what they perceived to be an ensuing distraction from a guy they didn't at least view as a superstar, which is probably fair. While I do think Sanders would've brought something positive to the Colts from a competition standpoint (he's smart, accurate, and can make something out of nothing), if you don't like quarterbacks that hold onto the ball for too long, then Sanders probably isn't for you.

"Can you give a realistic and an optimistic prediction for AD Mitchell's season after the great camp he had?" -- Tycho, Twitter

I think Mitchell is going to be better than last year, but at the same time, he's still the fourth receiver in an offense that also just added a tight end like Tyler Warren. Targets are going to be pretty spread out. As a result, I could see Mitchell getting somewhere around 38 receptions for 532 yards (that's 14.0 YPC), and a couple of touchdowns. That's still an improvement from 23 catches for 312 yards (13.6 YPC) and no scores last year.

"Should we be concerned about Bortolini + Goncalves on the right side of the interior?" -- 4theshoe, Twitter

I think it's fair to expect some bumps in the road early on -- these guys are replacing Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, after all -- but I'm confident both will improve as the season progresses. Bortolini and Goncalves were good prospects who will likely just need reps. We're seeing Goncalves' issues in pass protection right now while Bortolini is trying to find ways in the run game to accommodate for being slightly undersized. Goncalves was viewed as a better prospect at guard but is taking some time to transition after playing heavily at tackle all last season.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) pulls in pass during the first day of training camp. — Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox (81) pulls in pass Wednesday, July 23, 2025, during the first day of training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Where is Drew Ogletree? We haven't really heard anything about him. Is there a chance he is the odd TE out and gets cut? He seems like a Tyler Warren lite, and we already have Mo (Alie-Cox) for the heavy run sets, so is Jelani's (Woods) potential more valuable?" -- Matiasdall, Twitter

Personally, I'd lean into keeping only one of Ogletree and Alie-Cox, so the offense can get some contribution from Will Mallory and Jelani Woods, but I don't think the Colts see it that way. They think both Ogletree and Alie-Cox are high-end blockers, and since this offense will be heavily reliant on the run game this year, I think they'd like to keep both.

"Any timeline for Juju Brents or Jaylon Jones returning?" -- MAMBA FOREVER, Twitter

Unfortunately not. I asked Shane Steichen on Sunday if there was an update on them and he said there was not.

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"Which position do you think we will keep an extra guy at because he’s too good to let go to the practice squad. Conversely, who is the most surprising cut, non-Jelani Woods division?" -- HoosierTechie, Twitter

I think the Colts will keep Riley Leonard on the roster as QB3 so that they don't risk him on waivers. They may also have a tough time figuring out what they want to do on the defensive line with guys like Isiaiah Land, Adetomiwa Adebawore, and Tim Smith. Likewise, the cornerback injuries will be pretty influential if they don't clear up by cutdown time. With Just Walley out for the year, and Kenny Moore II, Brents, and Jones all out with injuries, we've seen a huge bump in playing time for guys like Johnathan Edward, Alex Johnson, and Chris Lammons. Last one, is there room for safety Daniel Scott as a key special teamer?

"Approximately what has been the ratio of man vs zone in the new defensive scheme?" -- Kyle Winslow, Bluesky

I can't put a number on that, but I'll tell you it's much more man coverage than with Gus Bradley. That was a focus of the moves that the Colts made this offseason, particularly adding Charvarius Ward.

"This might be hard to judge in camp, but how has the depth behind Grover looked this year? We’ve seen in the last two years how teams wait for Grover to take a break and then run the ball almost at will." -- Echo W4rrior, Twitter

I'd love to tell you that I've noticed any of Tim Smith, Eric Johnson, Josh Tupou, or Devonta Davis stand out, but I haven't. At the same time, the coaches should have a much better gauge on that than us with the benefit of practice tape. My instinct tells me either of Smith or Tupou may have the edge and could make the roster (likely not both), since Smith was a draft pick this year, and Tupou and Lou Anarumo are very familiar with each other.

"How has Samson looked, post-injury? Assuming he is used quite a bit this season, he will play an important role." -- Stats Matt, Twitter

I think he's looked fine, but the preseason game should be a much better glimpse. I've seen him make a couple of plays (and he's getting more work with Kwity Paye being injured), but it's not consistently noticeable. I do like the idea of him being able to make the most of his in-game reps in a more limited capacity this year, given his return from injury at 30 years old.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen looks at the scoreboard during the second quarter of a preseason game. — Aug 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen looks at the scoreboard during the second quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

"So, while we talk constantly about the need for development for the QBs etc, there's something to be said about the development of coaches. Some could say Shane had a step back last season. What can we watch as a sign of development from him this year?" -- Phil Costa, Twitter

That's an awesome question, Phil. I do agree that the Colts tried to traditionalize Richardson far too much in the first half of last year. When he returned from his benching, it looked much different, at least to me. He was running more often and was used more on the move rather than just as a dropback passer. This year, I just want to see the offense use players to their strengths. If it's Richardson, is he rolling out and running more? If it's Jones, are the Colts incorporating more RPOs and quick-strike plays? Are guys like AD Mitchell, Tyler Warren, and DJ Giddens being used for their unique abilities?

"Seeing the last two training camps, has Shane (Steichen) adjusted his camp practices this year vs. the other two? If he has, are we seeing a positive or negative effect from those?" -- Aaron, Twitter

From what I can tell, the biggest changes Steichen is trying to make are throwing guys into quick-change situations that they weren't aware were coming and trying to be more physical with the contact they're able to have. It looked pretty good against the Ravens in the joint practice, but not so much in the preseason game.

"Outside of joint practice on Thursday and preseason games, what visibility into practice will the media have?" -- MGLP, Bluesky

After camp and the preseason, the media may get to see a few more full practices before Week 1 gets here, but when it does, we get to see about 20ish minutes at the beginning of each practice before it's team-only viewing.

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