PALM BEACH, Fla. — Daniel Jones will likely be splitting the Indianapolis Colts’ No. 1 quarterback reps down the center with third-year professional Anthony Richardson, head coach Shane Steichen stated Monday morning on the NFL House owners’ Assembly.
“It’ll start in the spring,” Steichen stated on the AFC coaches’ breakfast at The Breakers Palm Seashore. “They’re gonna split the one reps through spring practice and going into training camp. And it’s gonna come down to who’s the most consistent, who’s the most productive will be the starter.”
Everybody is aware of the way it will go from right here. Jones inevitably will turn into Steichen’s Week 1 starter, barring Richardson making a dramatic leap in effectivity throughout this offseason competitors. And that can launch an enchanting concurrent Midwest drama to enhance the Giants’ quarterback travails out East.
Russell Wilson in shotgun operating Brian Daboll’s offense. Jones in shotgun operating Steichen’s offense. Select your fighter.
“I think if you look at his skill set, he can run the football with the zone read game,” Steichen stated of Jones. “He can throw the football, as well. His career completion percentage is 64%, which is pretty good. Has had some production, won a playoff game, high football IQ, really high football IQ. It’s exciting. It’ll be a really good competition.”
Jones, 27, clearly has shortcomings as a participant that resulted in his benching, launch, signing with Minnesota and eventual free agent transfer to Indy –with turnovers and decision-making in crucial spots excessive on the record.
However Richardson, 23, walked off the sector and mainly give up in the course of a drive final season, saying he was “tired.” The Colts’ 2023 No. 4 general choose remains to be constructing himself from the bottom up.
Jones’ aggressive streak is the other. He needs to be instructed to not decrease his head into defenders, and he typically nonetheless does it.
So it’s troublesome to see Jones not successful over the Colts’ offensive gamers shortly to no less than purchase himself the Week 1 job and an opportunity to maintain it.
Sources say that Vikings gamers all the way in which as much as and together with star receiver Justin Jefferson have been impressed with Jones in follow late final season. And Minnesota tried to maintain him.
The Colts not solely had a one-year, $14 million contract and “a fresh start for him coming into our building,” as Steichen stated, although. In addition they gave him the extra apparent alternative to begin video games and play.
Steichen and Colts GM Chris Ballard are each underneath strain this season to indicate some outcomes. However Steichen’s pedigree teaching each the Chargers’ Justin Herbert and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts to current success provides Jones the possibility to be the 2025 model of Sam Darnold.
Darnold used an analogous alternative in Minnesota with Kevin O’Connell to resurrect his profession and land a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Giants have it dangerous sufficient already by letting Saquon Barkley sign up Philadelphia and lead the Eagles to a Tremendous Bowl in 2024. Now think about if the Giants are struggling to win with Wilson this season whereas Jones is bouncing again and successful some video games in Indy.
Not that the Colts are anticipated to make the playoffs or something. Nonetheless, Jones bettering his manufacturing in 2025 by a big margin will not be far-fetched.
Steichen made clear that the Colts are on the lookout for “consistency” in Richardson’s strategy and manufacturing.
He stated the crew talked “right at the end of the season” concerning the want for quarterback competitors. And actually, competitors is a euphemism right here for a veteran who can play higher soccer till Richardson figures it out, if he ever does.
Steichen stated he has communicated frequently with Richardson and it’s clear what the crew is on the lookout for the younger QB to enhance.
“That definitely needs to improve, the completion percentage,” Steichen stated of Richardson’s surprising 47.7% completion proportion final season. “You can’t go broke taking a profit. Getting those completions is huge and moving the chains. Instead of being at 2nd and 10, taking the checkdowns and getting to 2nd and 2.”
It’s a beneficiant approach of claiming that the Colts desperately want far more from the quarterback place.
“You look around the league, teams that were in the playoffs, quarterback play was consistent there,” Steichen stated. “So that’s what we’re looking for, [being] consistent at that position. Everyone’s hunting that.”
Jones was “one of the guys that was at the top of the list” for the Colts in free company, Steichen stated. His mobility was a promoting level on prime of all of his different qualities.
Steichen, an offensive coordinator by commerce and the Colts’ playcaller, stated a quarterback doesn’t must be a very good runner nevertheless it actually helps.
“I think it depends,” he stated. “I’ve been around the drop back quarterbacks, with Philip Rivers [and] Justin Herbert, Hurts and Anthony now,” Steichen stated. “I think you’ve got to build a system around your quarterback, that’s the most important thing.
“Does it help? Yeah, it helps to create,” he stated. “But everyone says ‘Hey, create outside the pocket.’ You can create inside the pocket, too, by subtle movements and side stepping, and stepping up and making dump off throws and big-time throws. But if you have a quarterback who can run and create, it does help when things break down.”
Jones has the power. And now he additionally has Jonathan Taylor within the Colts’ backfield. May they recreate Jones’ 2022 Giants success when Barkley was taking Jones’ handoffs on the way in which to a playoff berth and Wild Card win?
The percentages are stacked towards them there. However relaxation assured that John Mara, Joe Schoen and Daboll will likely be peaking over on the Colts’ scores come the autumn, figuring out the one factor worse for the Giants in 2025 than dropping massive (once more) can be to take action whereas Jones has a resurgence within the Midwest.
