Anthony Richardson is entering the 2025 season with a big chip on his shoulder, and he will need a breakout year to prove the haters wrong. With a lot of adversity surrounding the 2024 season, the Colts have not given up on him yet. They have given Richardson all of the tools needed for him to be successful.
From free agency to the draft, Chris Ballard has made it clear that he is on a mission to get this franchise back to winning. The quarterback position has been the biggest hurdle since Andrew Luck retired, and it’s still unstable. Therefore, Ballard needed to surround his quarterback with the most talent and an environment that promotes improvement. He has done just that this year. That is why Richardson has one last chance to prove himself and be a long-term franchise quarterback.
Anthony Richardson Has No Excuses For a Breakout 2025 Season
He Has the Weapons
The Indianapolis Colts have several top-level weapons on offense to help Anthony Richardson have a breakout 2025 campaign. They finally have the full package after acquiring Tyler Warren in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. It could be debated whether the Colts have a true top-level wide receiver, but the talent across the roster is there. Their current wide receivers are not top-tier guys compared to the rest of the NFL. However, as a unit, they are enough to propel an offense. Michael Pittman Jr. is their number one receiver and will look to continue being a solid and reliable presence. Alec Pierce is going into year four on his rookie contract. He will be looking for a contract extension, so having another solid year will be crucial. Lastly, Adonai Mitchell is going into his second year and will look to build off of a promising rookie campaign.
The Colts do have a top-tier running back in Jonathan Taylor, who will look to get back to his 2021 season form. A running back is a huge asset to a quarterback and a crucial element to an offense. The Colts are a run-first team and will need Taylor to ball out. To help bolster the running back room, though, Ballard acquired Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears. His talent will provide much-needed depth at running back and continuity on offense.
He Has the Raw Talent
There is a reason why the Colts drafted Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick, which is why he is due for a breakout year in 2025. Richardson possesses so much raw talent that the Colts were willing to overlook some of his faults. Time will tell if overlooking that will come back to haunt them. Nonetheless, Richardson has shown that he can produce and play well in the NFL. His main issue is just a lack of experience. Theoretically, the more he plays, the better he will get.
One way that the Colts are trying to expedite Richardson’s development in the NFL is by forcing Richardson to earn the starting spot. This offseason, the Colts acquired quarterback Daniel Jones, who was the sixth overall pick by the New York Giants. This competition will be intriguing to watch this offseason as Jones is in a similar situation as Richardson. Jones was a starting quarterback, got benched, and is looking for redemption.
Competition helps to weed out the players who are not serious about their position. It helps to make players better by always playing with an edge. For Anthony Richardson to have a breakout 2025 season, it will come because he put the work in to earn the starting job, and utilize the weapons provided on offense.