The Indianapolis Colts went into the 2025 offseason with plenty of problems to solve. A weak secondary and inconsistent starting quarterback caused general manager Chris Ballard to spend serious money in the first few days of NFL free agency.
To help rebuild his quarterback room, Ballard brought in former New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones to compete with Anthony Richardson. Jones, 27, has the chance to fight for a starting job in Indy after getting cut by the Giants halfway through last season.
Jones and Richardson have the 31st and 32nd-ranked passer ratings in the league, respectively, over the past two seasons, but their impact goes beyond the air. Both are capable runners and have displayed relative success on the ground when given the chance.
The biggest issues surrounding Jones and Richardson are turnover problems and a history of injuries. NFL analyst Marc Ross sees the same concerns and is worried that the Colts won't be able to succeed with either option at quarterback.
"The Colts now have two quarterbacks who are in some ways mirror images of one another, though Jones has four more years as a pro under his belt than Richardson," wrote Ross. "Both players excel as rushers but struggle with inconsistency in the pass game due to their lack of feel and vision in the pocket. And both players have battled injuries."
"Competition could bring out the best in Richardson and Jones, who have each shown flashes in the NFL. It'd be the ideal scenario for Indy, which is looking to boost an offense that ranked 13th overall and 17th in scoring last season. My concern is that the Colts' attack won't improve no matter which of these two quarterbacks is under center."
Ross is a former Vice President of Player Evaluation for the Giants and was with the team during their two most recent Super Bowl victories. He knows good players, and it's concerning that he feels neither Jones nor Richardson could improve the Colts' offense next season.
The two combined for 19 total interceptions in 21 starts last season. Limiting turnovers seems like a good first step to ensuring success for the Colts' offense, so Jones and Richardson have a lot of room to improve.
When talking about injuries, it isn't pretty. Jones has suffered from a torn ACL, neck issues, and hamstring/ankle problems. He's missed 22 games in his six-year career due to injuries. Richardson, on the other hand, has missed 14 games due to injury in his two-year career.
Statistically, it's improbable for both players to make it through the season without suffering some sort of knock. The Colts need to rely on one of their two quarterbacks to make it through the year healthy so they can maintain their playoff hopes.
Keep an eye on Jones and Richardson dueling throughout the offseason to earn the rights to Week 1's starting job.
-1737961859-q80.webp "Insider Blasts Red Sox For Recent Hot Stove Inactivity: 'A Step Backward'")
