The Indianapolis Colts find themselves in a complicated situation. They drafted Anthony Richardson, one of the rawest prospects in NFL history, to be their quarterback, but the early results have been inconsistent. While he shows flashes of brilliance, his overall performance remains questionable.
Consequently, the team is looking to create competition in the quarterback room, even adding Daniel Jones this offseason. However, legendary NFL coach and quarterback mentor Bruce Arians believes the Colts’ efforts are futile.
Is Anthony Richardson a Lost Cause?
Richardson became the starter in his final year at Florida, playing in only 12 collegiate games before joining the NFL. Nevertheless, Indianapolis, impressed with his arm talent, selected him with the fourth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
After two years, the team’s investment has yet to pay off. Richardson has a completion percentage of just over 50.5% and an 11-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
While the Colts remain optimistic, Arians does not share their view. Speaking on “High Volume” with Noah Compton, Arians stated, “Anthony, I think, needed two more years of college as a passer.
“Not as an athlete, I think he’s a great athlete. But as a passer, I didn’t see him coming out being able to beat anybody in two-minute [drives] & third down, and that’s when you win in the NFL. If you can’t win third down and two-minute [drives], you’re just an average guy.”
Last season, Richardson ranked 34th in the league in third-down conversions, with a 31.2% rate, supporting Arians’ point. “I don’t care how good you run. You don’t run the ball in two minutes. As a quarterback, you throw it and you command the game.”
Arians, an offensive veteran, has been associated with quarterbacks for nearly five decades, starting as a wide receiver and running back coach for Mississippi State in 1978. He has worked under legends like Paul “Bear” Bryant and coached all-time greats like Tom Brady.
He sees one area that could change Richardson’s trajectory. “His growth this year is going to be huge if he can make the growth that I think he can make. I think he’s put the work in, he’s got a great reputation as a hard worker.”
Despite the flaws, the oldest head coach to win a Super Bowl sees some logic in the Colts’ strategy. “Daniel will push him. Daniel’s really going to push him.”
Last season, Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson were near the bottom of the league, ranking 32nd and 37th, respectively, on PFSN’s QB+ metric out of 39 qualified players. Individually, they might not be able to sustain a playoff offense.
However, a competitive environment might bring out the best in Richardson and potentially give Indianapolis its franchise quarterback for the future.