Indianapolis Colts’ head coach Shane Steichen spoke with the local media following Wednesday’s OTA practice, addressing where things stand at the quarterback position with Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, and Riley Leonard.
Roughly six months removed from an Achilles injury, Jones was a limited participant, going through the individual portion of the practice.
Afterward, while there are still hurdles to clear, Jones believes he will be ready to go for Week 1.
“It’s awesome to see him out here with the guys,” Steichen said of Jones. “He’s working his tail off every day, rehabbing like crazy. I mean, he lives in this building, so it’s good to see him out here doing individual work with the guys, being around the guys, getting the walkthrough reps. That part’s been really good. Right now, he’s on schedule. He’s doing everything he can in his power.”
Richardson rejoined the team a few weeks back for Phase II of the offseason workout program. Steichen announced that he and Leonard will be competing for the backup quarterback role.
A final decision won’t be made until training camp and the preseason unfold, but the two will split reps, and both get opportunities with the first-team offense while Jones is still on the sidelines during the team portions of practice.
“He’s been good,” Steichen said of Richardson. “Obviously getting him back in the fold here, coming back a couple weeks ago, going through it, still growing all those different things, continuing to learn and grow just like all our other players. But it’s good to see him out here with the guys for sure.”
Although Richardson’s trade request is still on the table, that’s not where his attention lies at this time. He’s focused on being with the Colts.
Not knowing whether or not Richardson will remain with the team through the 2026 season, Steichen wants to give him the opportunity to compete for the backup role — “you never know,” as he said.
“There’s the potential that he could be (the backup).” Steichen said. “You never know. I mean, we’ll see how this thing plays out. I mean, we’re sitting here what, end of May, we got June, July, August, training camp, but if you’re going to be here, everyone that’s here is going to compete.”
Leonard showcased in Week 18 last season against a very good Houston defense that he is more than ready to compete for the backup role. In that contest, Leonard completed 21-of-34 passes for 270 yards. He and the passing game were able to generate big plays, averaging 7.9 yards per catch. Leonard threw two touchdowns and rushed for another.
While it wasn’t perfect, with Leonard committing three turnovers, when there was a takeaway or miscue, the rookie quarterback showcased his resiliency and often found ways to bounce back.
As a result of that performance and what the Colts have seen from Leonard since drafting him, they remain bullish about his potential.
“He’s been really good,” Steichen said. “He’s got great command in the huddle. He’s continuing to learn the offense, growing in that nature, going through his reads, going through his progressions, working on his accelerated vision, going through that stuff. But it’s been good to see.”
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Shane Steichen evaluates Colts top 3 QBs following OTA latest practice
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
