Should Colts Fans Worry If Richardson Doesn’t Start Week 1?

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Training camp for the Indianapolis Colts is right around the corner. 

Soon, we’ll see players put on pads as the intensity gets turned up, and some of the burning questions we’ve had about the Colts start getting answered. One of the biggest questions has been at the quarterback position. Rookie Anthony Richardson and 5th-year veteran Gardner Minshew are poised to battle it out for the starting role. Despite it still being extremely early, all indications are that the Colts are leaning towards Richardson being under center Week 1. Minshew may give the team the best chance to win in the short term, but Richardson will need to get live experience eventually. The team may decide to jumpstart that process and live with the growing pains. 

If, however, it is Minshew who is taking snaps when the Colts open their season against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium, should Colts fans be worried at their very talented, but very raw rookie QB? 

Not necessarily.  

While yes, it would be preferable for Richardson to be ready sooner rather than later, and with his draft pedigree, there is a degree of expectation surrounding him. You don’t get drafted 4th overall for nothing, and fans will want to see their quarterback of the future in action this season. That being said, it was always known that Richardson might take longer than your typical rookie quarterback. His 13 college starts have been referenced ad nauseam, and when his rookie contract runs out, he’ll only be 25. The Colts have time to let him develop; the worst mistake they could make is to put him out there too early, and potentially ruin him like the Texans did to David Carr. Minshew was brought in specifically to be a bridge if Richardson wasn’t ready; there’s no need to risk his long-term future. 

There’s also the reality that even if Richardson doesn’t start Week 1, he will start at some point in the year. Colts owner Jim Irsay has said as much. 

“But he has to play to get better. I mean, there’s no question. Gardner could come out and play better early on, him just being a veteran, but we have to get Anthony on the field.” 

Make no mistake, the Colts want Richardson under center. They know he needs experience, and they know there will be growing pains to start out with. There is a good chance he will be the starter come Week 1. If he isn’t, however, Colts fans shouldn’t panic. His time will come, and after years of seeing a band-aid approach taken to the game’s most important position, seeing a bit of patience exercised wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.  

During Thursday’s edition of The Ride With JMV, John spoke to Mike Chappell of CBS4 and FOX59. They spoke about Colts training camp, the anticipation surrounding it, and if we should expect to see Richardson start in Week 1. Listen to that conversation and more below, and tune into The Ride With JMV from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!