Who reportedly has 'lost ground' in Colts' QB competition

Free-agency signing Daniel Jones seemingly entered training camp as the favorite to win the Indianapolis Colts' starting quarterback job after third-year pro Anthony Richardson was shut down from throwing in late May when he experienced discomfort in his surgically repaired shoulder. 

However, James Boyd of The Athletic noted in an article posted on Monday that Jones "hasn’t done anything to separate himself from Richardson" heading into August. 

"If anything, Jones seems to have lost ground with the QB battle about even," Boyd continued. "...The only day one quarterback clearly outplayed the other was Friday, when Richardson went 8-of-11 passing with a couple of first-down throws and a handful of solid checkdowns. The latter have typically hindered Richardson in the past, so that he connected on those passes was a positive sign for his development. Jones, meanwhile, finished 6-of-10 passing Friday as Indy’s defensive backs were able to break up his passes." 

The Colts made it known they were serious about possibly naming Jones their 2025 Week 1 starter when they signed him to a one-year, $14M contract that's worth up to $17.7M and included $13.15M guaranteed this past March. That's understandable considering Richardson has hardly looked like a star when healthy and was limited to 15 starts out of 32 contests (outside of a two-game benching) over his first two NFL seasons. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Richardson finished the 2024 campaign ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 47.7 percent completion percentage and a 61.6 passer rating. That said, Jones' performances in July could cause some to worry that he won't be better than what he was when he went 3-13 over his final 16 starts with the New York Giants from September 2023 through last fall. 

For what it's worth, Jones ended the 2024 season ranked 35th out of 36 quarterbacks with a 79.4 passer rating. 

"Neither quarterback has lit it up on offense, evidenced by their unofficial stats, but for Jones to win the starting job, he’ll have to play a lot better," Boyd continued. "Otherwise, the Colts have no reason to start the 28-year-old Jones, who’s on a one-year deal, over the 23-year-old Richardson, who was drafted to blossom into the face of the franchise."

 

As of Monday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Richardson at -130 betting odds to start Indianapolis' Week 1 game versus the Miami Dolphins over Jones (+102 odds). ESPN's Dan Graziano suggested in a piece published on Monday that he agrees with such forecasts. 

"Training camp is where Richardson looks the best," Graziano said about the fourth overall pick of the 2023 draft. "If he's healthy, he's likely to outperform Jones on the practice field. The Colts also have a lot more invested in Richardson, and if it's a close competition, most people I talk to believe that will tilt things in his favor -- at least to start the season."

Indianapolis opens the preseason with a game at the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 7.