INDIANAPOLIS – The most consequential offseason of Anthony Richardson’s still-young NFL career and one that could alter the direction of the Indianapolis Colts followed a calculated daily schedule.
There was breakfast.
“Get the body fueled up,’’ Richardson said Tuesday.
Then, depending on the day of the week, he attacked a regimen in Florida that consisted of throwing, running sprints, working in the weight room, mentally diving into Shane Steichen’s playbook and going through preventative measures to deal with back spasms that forced him to miss the final two games last season.
If there was a prime objective, it was sharpening mechanics that have been deficient during two erratic seasons – 50.6% accuracy in 15 starts, and 47.7% in 2024 – and developing better poise in the pocket.
“If I am calm enough with my footwork,’’ Richardson said, “I can make it happen.’’
One thing his offseason didn’t include? Despite speculation early this year, Richardson didn’t work out with Buffalo Bills standout Josh Allen.
“Not true,’’ he said with a smile. “Not true.’’
The Colts began their offseason work this week and there’s no lack of storylines for a team that’s mired in a four-year playoff drought.
- The offensive line must adjust to the free-agent departures of Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries.
- The defense has a new coordinator (Lou Anarumo) and a pair of high-profile, high-priced additions (cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum).
- Special teams is transitioning from Matt Gay to Spencer Shrader.
But every issue pales in comparison to the open competition at quarterback involving Richardson and Daniel Jones. General manager Chris Ballard invested the No. 4 overall pick in 2023 on a raw talent out of Florida confident – or at least hopeful – he would stabilize the position for the foreseeable future.
Instead, Steichen will divvy up the practice reps between the former first-round draft picks during OTAs and training camp, and see how things shake out.
“It’s really going to come down to who’s the most consistent will win the job,’’ he said. “We’ll let that process play out.
“The day-to-day process is part of it. Being a quarterback is the day-to-day grind that you go through preparing every single day. That’s part of consistency. And then obviously on the field. You’ve got to be consistent, take care of the football, make good decisions with the football and really move your offense down the field.
“The guy that’s most consistent doing that will win the job.’’
It’s hardly ideal for Richardson to be immersed in an open competition for his job heading into year 3. At this point, this should be his team.
“Man, it’s different,’’ Richardson said. “Everybody can look at the situation differently. I always like to say I’m blessed, honestly. I still have the opportunity to play in the NFL. Still have the opportunity to go out there and compete and win the job for the team.
“It kind of feels like I just got drafted. I’m just excited to still be here.’’
And it’s not hyperbole to insist this is the biggest year of Richardson’s career even though he remains one of the NFL’s youngest starting quarterbacks. He turns 23 May 22.
“Every year has been a big year for me, so I’m excited,’’ he said.
After being forced to rehab his surgically-repaired right shoulder following his rookie season, Richardson was able to focus on fundamentals and proper mechanics the past three months.
“Not necessarily redefining my mechanics, but tweaking it a little bit to make sure everything was smooth,’’ he said.
Footwork is critical.
“No doubt,’’ Richardson said. “As a quarterback, people of course have live arms and they can spin the ball, but it starts from the ground up, the foundation.
“If your footwork and your base are solid, then the rest will take care of itself.’’
Richardson insisted he’s not bothered in the least with having to compete for his starting job. He had to earn his reps at Eastside High School in Gainesville and that led to competing as a sophomore at Florida with Emory Jones “trying to get that spot.
“Competition, that brings out the best of you and that’s just how life works. You just got to compete and just get better because somebody else to the right, left or even in front of you is trying to outwork you and just be better than you.
“So, competition, I love it.’’
Jones was injected into the open competition in March with a one-year, $14 million contract. The No. 6 overall pick in 2019 in looking for a reset to his career after being discarded by the New York Giants.
Richardson is eager to make the most of the new face in the quarterbacks room.
“Honestly, the main thing I want to learn from him is how to navigate,’’ he said. “How to navigate the pressure of everything. How to navigate when things aren’t going the best. How do you just stay with it and stay focused and just keep grinding?
“And also, just how to work. I think he’s a smart guy, so I’m looking forward to just learning everything that he has to offer and just getting better as a team.”
Veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr. already has shared throwing sessions with Jones, but wasn’t able to arrange anything with Richardson the past few months. Part of that was due to Pittman rehabbing from a back injury that limited him throughout last season.
Going forward, he’ll do whatever it takes to ensure the best option emerges from the quarterback competition. He’s already talked with Richardson.
“My message to him is I’m going to give him everything that he needs to be successful and there is no favoritism,’’ Pittman said. “There is no ‘I want this or I want that.’ It’s give ‘em both the equal opportunity of everything I have.
“I hope it works out for both of them. Obviously, that’s not how it works.’’
Pittman admitted “it’s a tough situation for us because we like both of our guys, right? We’ve known AR for longer and we like Daniel, too. It’s a real tough thing, but just give them equal opportunity.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.