After a 4-12-1 finish, the Indianapolis Colts proved they were one of the worst teams in football last season. But they weren’t quite the worst. The Colts landed the fourth overall pick, which in this case, meant they’d be left with Anthony Richardson, the third quarterback off the draft board.
Yet, it’s also possible that if the Colts had the second or even the first overall pick, they may have still selected the tantalizing dual-threat prospect with a cannon arm out of Florida. Either way, two other teams selected a QB ahead of Indianapolis, but the Colts are making it clear they’re not disappointed with the results.
The Colts recently wrapped up their rookie minicamp, which gave coaches a glimpse of Richardson’s talent, and they came away impressed with the soon-to-be 21-year-old.
“Richardson’s not quite as raw as he’s sometimes been portrayed. The Colts have been impressed by his pocket awareness in particular, and he showed off some of his high-level play-making ability even during the brief rookie mini-camp.”
Indianapolis Colts beat writer George Bremer on Anthony Richardson
Despite the Colts preaching patience with their first-year QB, it’s clear they’re excited about what the future holds. Even if his potential doesn’t turn into wins right away, the Colts feel they have their new face of the franchise.
It’s just about getting him up to speed after Richardson made just 13 starts in college. How long that process takes may be the key to their future, but at least they finally have a QB who can stick around for more than one or two seasons.
Related: 4 NFL rookies with Pro Bowl potential in 2023, including one QB