The Indianapolis Colts have one of the NFL‘s strangest quarterback situations, with former No. 4 pick Anthony Richardson in and out of the lineup.
Richardson is inconsistent in multiple ways, as he often deals with injuries and also shows flashes of being a superstar and bench-worthy player. He had a rough sophomore campaign, throwing for eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions in less than a dozen appearances.
Considering his performances were so poor at one point that head coach Shane Steichen had to bench him in favor of veteran Joe Flacco, bringing in legit QB competition for the former Florida Gator is a smart path to follow.
Colts Predicted To Sign Justin Fields as Competition for Anthony Richardson
Justin Fields was having a respectable year for the Pittsburgh Steelers before he was benched for veteran Russell Wilson. His upside mixed with flashes of star potential led NFL analyst Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac to predict Fields will sign a deal somewhere in the realm of four years, $25.6 million in free agency.
The Colts would, of course, not give the former first-round pick such a lucrative deal but instead ink him on a one-year contract. Yardbarker predicts Richardson and Fields will battle for the Colts’ QB1 job next season.
“Richardson has struggled throwing the ball in his two seasons, and it remains to be seen if the Colts see him as a solution,” Yardbarker’s Seth Trachtman wrote. “It’s likely they will at least add competition in the offseason, and Fields could be a strong fit as a mobile quarterback with a similar skill set.”
Trachtman brings up an interesting point about the similarities between their skill sets, and it’s arguably the No. 1 reason Indianapolis’ front office may prefer Fields over other free agent quarterbacks.
Regardless of who the Colts’ starter is, the playbook could remain almost identical, whereas if Sam Darnold or Russell Wilson is brought in, there would be a major shift in play design.
Fields is the No. 46 ranked free agent in PFSN’s Top 100, while Darnold slots all the way at No. 10 after breaking out with the Minnesota Vikings this past season. As previously noted, it would make no sense to bring in Fields on a major deal, but if he has a breakout season similar to Darnold, he could then earn a contract of the magnitude Ginnitti mentioned.
Whether it’s Fields, Darnold, Wilson, or another QB, it’s time to put pressure on Richardson, the No. 37 ranked QB per PFSN, as he enters his third season in the NFL.