There will be a lot of pressure on his shoulders heading into year three.
The Indianapolis Colts are well versed in employing a quarterback who not only elevates his teammates but also covers holes on the roster. I have heard the debate regarding whether Peyton Manning made receivers like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne great or if it was the other way around. When Manning had his neck injury and missed the entire season, it was evident just how important he was to the team as we watched everything implode. Additionally, look at Andrew Luck and the talent that surrounded him, as he essentially dragged some of those teams to the playoffs and even an AFC Championship game. Yes, the quarterback can make all the difference. That is why it is time for Anthony Richardson to shoulder the load and take this franchise forward.
It is going to take a leap, however, and a pretty big one at that.
Richardson is entering year three, and while he hasn’t played as many games as fans would have liked to see, there will be no excuses. He will have been around the team long enough and should have a solid grasp of everything Shane Steichen wants out of him and this offense. He has the raw ability, but there are so many things he needs to clean up if he is going to be able to mask other deficiencies on this roster. Chris Ballard states he is going to bring in more competition, but we all know it won’t be players that move the needle. It might elevate the level at which players compete to make the roster, but it won’t be enough to bring this team into championship consideration.
I am not expecting Richardson to do that on his own either. That wouldn’t be fair. I am expecting him to be much better, however. The completion percentage has to be better. In all fairness, how could it not be? When you are dealing with a 47.7% completion rate, up is the only direction available. Being able to put more touch on his passes and deliver on short throws will help this number skyrocket. Fair or not, Richardson also has to remain healthy. That is more beyond his control, but to truly find success in year three, he has to actually be on the field. He does this team no good on the sideline. Finding ways to protect himself on big hits or when scrambling is crucial.
In the NFL, teams can change their trajectory in a serious way from year to year. The Colts can certainly do that, but so much of it hinges on Anthony Richardson progressing. I don’t trust Chris Ballard to adequately address and fill in the holes on this roster. That means there needs to be some serious masking done by Richardson. Can he? I think so. Will he? That remains to be seen.