The Indianapolis Colts knew what they were getting into when they drafted one of the most inexperienced quarterbacks ever selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
The development of Anthony Richardson, who started only 13 games at Florida, was always going to be a process. And the Colts weren’t hiding from that fact.
“Let’s not crown him yet,” general manager Chris Ballard said the day Richardson was drafted in 2023. “He’s a young player, he’s got work to do, but we like his talent. We like what he can be. What I can tell you is we drafted him for what we think he can really be in the future.”
Twenty-four months and 17 starts later, the Colts’ tone has changed.
Ballard, speaking this week at the NFL’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, explained how the team’s thinking on Richardson has evolved as he has struggled with consistency and injuries during his first two seasons, missing 17 games and completing 50.6% of his passes.
Patience is no longer the operative word.