Source: David Eulitt / Getty
At long last the Colts have their new quarterback and his name is Anthony Richardson. The Colts made it official Thursday night with Richardson and Will Levis both sitting there at No. 4. The Colts handed in their card and Roger Goodell announced the Florida QB was the man that Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen believe can steer the team back into relevancy.
Not only do they hope to unlock all of his potential with Steichen’s impressive QB resume but it gives the fan base something they haven’t had the last few seasons: Hope. The one-year run with Philip Rivers was the high point before Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan left more disappointment and flat-out embarrassment than one franchise should legally be allowed to endure in back-to-back seasons.
Richardson is far from a finished product, quite the opposite in fact. At 20 years old, he can’t even legally crack a PBR until the end of May. He raised a ton of eyebrows at the scouting combine and at his pro day with Ballard noting that Morocco Brown, the Colts Chief Personnel Executive, texted him that Richardson was doing things he’s never seen before at his pro day. Ballard was convinced and now it’s up to Steichen to develop the young QB and harness the raw talent and skills he’s displayed.
Richardson offers mobility that we’ve never seen from a Colts quarterback and it will definitely come in handy to keep plays alive and in the event the offensive line loses protection. Fans finally have a reason to be excited after the last two seasons. The Colts finally tore off the veteran QB Band-Aid approach that fans and critics have agreed ran its course. Now, they move into the future with Richardson, who if coached properly, can bring the Colts into the modern age of NFL quarterback play and give them a chance to compete in a loaded AFC. Is he the next Mahomes or Burrow or Allen? It’s far too early to make any of those outrageous projections but he gives fans something to hang their hats on well past a one year experiment, even if the 2023 season has more losses than wins. That alone is worth the price of admission.
To hear our initial reaction to Richardson being selected by the Colts, click the link below and be sure to listen to Kevin & Query every weekday from 7-10 on 93.5 &107.5 The Fan!
