Indianapolis Colts fans have every reason to pay close attention to the quarterback picture in camp, because the gap between Daniel Jones and the backups looks wide right now.
Jones has been showing well enough to give the offense a real chance. The problem is what happens if he’s not out there. Based on what’s been happening in training camp, Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson do not look like safe answers if the Colts need them to carry the load.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter didn’t exactly sugarcoat where things stand after Saturday’s session. Speaking to The Athletic’s James Boyd, Cooter said of Leonard, "Riley’s had some really nice plays.
He’s moved the offense at times. Shoot, we’re striving for more consistency out of our sorta second and third units as we go against that second and third defense.
Specifically (in a scrimmage), that second and third defense got the best (of the offense)."
That’s not a ringing endorsement, and it doesn’t exactly calm anyone down about the QB2 situation.
Cooter was even less upbeat when asked about Richardson: "He’s still working through it. There’s really good days; there’s really good periods.
Like all of our guys, you’re gonna make a mistake here and there and (we) try to go fix that... There's improvement to be made in all areas, consistency being one of those."
Leonard is in his second season and didn’t get many chances as the backup quarterback in last year’s camp. He was as ready as he could be late in the season and started in Week 18, where he was pretty good. Even so, he’s been uneven in camp.
Richardson’s camp has been far rougher. The arm strength is there, no question, but so are the ugly mistakes.
He has been dropping snaps from center repeatedly, and that kind of error has shown up too often to shrug off. He has also looked confused at times by what the defense is doing, which is a bigger concern considering he’s entering his fourth season with the team and his second going up against defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in practice.
He has only worked under Shane Steichen, too. That matters.
Steichen’s system can be demanding, but it’s also not some unsolvable mystery. If Richardson still can’t get comfortable in it after this much time, the Colts have to wonder how much progress is left.
Leonard at least has the benefit of less runway. He’s only been with the team for one full season, so some inconsistency makes sense.
If the Colts handed him all of the QB2 reps, that might help his development. Instead, they’ve been splitting those backup reps between Leonard and Richardson, which only adds to the uncertainty.
And as Cooter pointed out, both are doing their work against the Colts’ starting defense. That unit is strong overall, but the depth behind it is where the questions start. If the backups are struggling against the second and third defense, the picture gets even uglier when you think about what Indianapolis’ starters - or any other team’s starters - would do.
That’s the real issue. Jones has already shown, both in the first half of last season and again in this year’s camp, that he can steer the offense at a high level.
But he’s also shown he can get hurt a lot. If the Colts need Leonard or Richardson to step in for real games, camp so far hasn’t given anyone much reason to feel good about it.
In Other News...
Riley Leonard Faces A Colts Backup QB Test That Could Change Everything
Riley Leonard has spent training camp trying to make a case that a sixth-round pick can force his way into a meaningful quarterback role with the Colts. Behind Daniel Jones, the competition for the No. 2 job has been active, and head coach Shane Steichen has made it clear that Leonard and Anthony Richardson are still battling for that spot. Leonard has flashed enough to hint at upside, with a few big plays showing why Indianapolis kept giving him chances, but the steady consistency needed to climb the depth chart is still a work in progress.
What makes the fight so interesting is how much of it comes down to the details that separate a camp standout from a backup quarterback the staff can trust. Leonard has focused on sharpening his pre-snap decision-making and getting quicker after the snap, areas that often decide whether a young passer moves forward or stalls out. The Colts are still sorting out the position, and Leonards path to the job may hinge on whether his recent promise turns into the kind of clean, repeatable execution that keeps coaches leaning his way. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Calls Out Colts Hype After Brutal AFC South Outlook
Pat McAfee is not buying the early optimism around the Colts, and his pushback lands at a time when the roster still feels like a work in progress. Indianapolis spent aggressively enough this offseason to invite bigger expectations, yet the market has the Colts at +380 to win the AFC South and pegged at a 7.5-win total, a combination that hardly suggests division favorite status.
The quarterback situation has at least looked steadier, with Daniel Jones signing an extension and turning in a strong camp, but the offense is still waiting on more clarity elsewhere. Alec Pierce is recovering from ankle surgery and does not have a set return date, leaving one of the teams top receiving options in limbo as the Colts try to turn offseason investment into something more convincing by opening day. [Read more 🡒]