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Finally, after months of speculation, and years of going with stopgaps at the game’s most important position, the Colts have their shiny new franchise quarterback.
The Colts took Anthony Richardson of the Florida Gators 4th overall; it’s a move that has an endless amount of upside, but one that comes with a large amount of risk as well. Much has been written about the flaws in Richardson’s game; his inexperience, the issues with mechanics and accuracy, the Gators record with him as a starter. Those are all valid concerns.
The upside, however, is so tantalizing that it’s no surprise the Colts decided to roll the dice.
One only must imagine Richardson in the backfield with Jonathan Taylor, with big-bodied receivers Michael Pittman Jr and Alec Pierce on the outside, to see why the Colts took him. Even with the team still needing to add some firepower to its wide receiver room, the idea of an option-based, run-first offense with Richardson at the helm promises to be exciting.
That running ability may be the key to getting Richardson on the field earlier than expected.
Much like Lamar Jackson when he was coming out of college, the big question mark for Richardson is his consistency as a passer. The Colts could look to emulate what the Ravens did during Jackson’s rookie year by starting a veteran quarterback, in this case Gardner Minshew, before eventually starting Richardson and letting him grow on the field as a passer, while relying on his legs to keep them afloat during that growth process.
There is no way to predict how Richardson’s NFL career will go. Regardless, the Colts have something they haven’t had for a while; hope. It’s up to them now to do everything they can to capitalize on that.
JMV spoke to the Colts new quarterback, Anthony Richardson, during Friday’s edition of the show! Listen to the conversation below as John gets Anthony’s thoughts on joining the Colts, and tune in to The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6 on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!
