Colts GM makes major admission about Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) fixes his head band Saturday, July 29, 2023, during Colts Training Back Together Weekend at Grand Park in Westfield. Credit: Grace Hollars/IndyStar/ USA TODAY NETWORK

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard made a fairly telling admission about quarterback Anthony Richardson in his first offseason press conference.

Ballard told reporters Friday that the Colts plan to bring in competition for Richardson this offseason. While Richardson is still the starter, the Colts want to push the quarterback, and also conceded that they have little choice but to add insurance in light of Richardson’s injury issues.

Chris Ballard says the Colts will have competition at the QB position next year, both to push Anthony Richardson and to back him up since he's struggled to stay on the field.

— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) January 10, 2025

Richardson has played in just 15 games in two seasons since entering the league. While he was benched for two games in 2024, the rest of those missed games are all due to various injuries. The quarterback recently made a fairly troubling revelation about the back injury that bothered him at the end of the season, which only exacerbated concerns.

Richardson’s skill set is not in doubt. He is an outstanding athlete with a lot of raw tools, but has yet to consistently put it all together to go with the mental side of the position. In 11 starts this year, he only threw for 1,814 yards and 8 touchdowns to go with 12 interceptions, though he also rushed for another 499 yards and six scores.

The Colts disappointed this season with an 8-9 record, and one could argue part of the reason for that was that they leaned too heavily on Richardson. They are clearly determined to avoid that again, and it certainly sounds like the team wants a more reliable backup than Joe Flacco going forward. That could see them linked to some veteran quarterbacks that are likely to be available.