Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson saw his rookie campaign cut short due to a shoulder injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the season in Week 5, but when he was on the field, he showed significant promise that has the Colts excited about the future.
However, general manager Chris Ballard would prefer that Richardson takes less hits going forward.
“Instinctively when you get in a game, you react to whatever your instincts take you to,” Ballard said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “I don’t think Anthony is reckless by any stretch. I didn’t think Andrew [Luck] was either. I think they’re competitive. But learning when to get out of bounds, when to get down versus when to go for it, those are going to be things he’s just going to have to learn.”
Prior to injuring his shoulder, Richardson also suffered a concussion back in Week 2. At 6-foot-4 and around 245 pounds, Richardson is a physical specimen, but even someone with his body type is not immune to injuries, as we saw this season.
Still, Ballard is confident that Richardson will adjust.
“He’s a good young man who has a lot to learn,” Ballard said. “But here’s what’s good about it him — [he’s] very humble and he has empathy for other people. He cares deeply. He cares deeply about being the best player he can be and cares deeply about his teammates, and he will work. He’s very gifted.”
Ballard added that Richardson is a “legitimate passer” and that he “can play from the pocket and throw the ball effectively.”
In four games this season, Richardson threw for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while completing 59.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 87.3. In addition, he rushed for 136 yards and four scores, averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
Indianapolis took Anthony Richardson with the No. 2 overall pick of the NFL Draft last spring.
The Colts went 9-8 and just missed the playoffs in 2023.
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