Battle for Starting Quarterback Job Commences for Colts

WESTFIELD, Ind.–The Indianapolis Colts started training camp Wednesday. The starting quarterback position is up for grabs between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.

Richardson has struggled with injuries to his shoulder in the past and also missed mandatory minicamp with a shoulder injury. After the first training camp practice, Richardson said even though the circumstances may be slightly different than previous years, much of it is also the same.

“I think it’s the same every year – prepare, make sure I’m at the best of my possible self for this team. The same thing goes back to my rookie year when I was competing with Gardner (Minshew II) for the starting job. Just learning the offense, mastering the offense. And just being available for the team, I think that’s the main thing. Conversations with Shane (Steichen) haven’t really changed much. He told us that Daniel (Jones) and I are going to compete. He let us know every day is a competition. So, we both got to work and compete for that job, and whoever wins it wins it,” said Richardson.

Richardson is 8-7 as a starter and has only played in 15 games combined in the first two seasons of his career. Daniel Jones played for the New York Giants for six seasons amassing a 24-44-1 record. Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts on a one-year, $14 million contract on March 13.

He said Wednesday that it’s important not to get caught up in the gravity of the moment or the grand scheme of things.

“Yeah, I think just trying to stay busy with what you’re doing kind of at the moment whether it’s that meeting or that practice or that walk-thru. Kind of trying to get fully into that. There’s so much work to do, especially for me learning the system, getting to know the guys, communication with coaches. I think there’s plenty to kind of stay busy with and focus on that. So, I think as best I can just doing that, staying focused on what I’m doing at the moment and then stacking days. I think that’s the mindset everyone tries to take during training camp. It’s a long process. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but kind of the best way to go about it is focusing on that day, that practice, that meeting or whatever you’re in at that moment.,” said Jones.

Colts Head Coach Shane Steichen said he just wants to see good things out of both quarterbacks right now.

“I talked to these guys, met with them yesterday, sat down with them – just talked about the consistency of the operation, just moving the football up and down the field. Told those guys too, no timetable on this thing. Let those guys compete, let the process play out and we’ll go from there,” said Steichen.

Day 2 of training camp is Thursday at Grand Park in Westfield.