Can Anthony Richardson hold off Daniel Jones?

The Colts said ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine they would have a competition at quarterback between incumbent starter Anthony Richardson and a veteran to be

singed. On Tuesday afternoon, the Colts made it official by signing former Giant and Vikings backup signal caller Daniel Jones to a 1-year deal worth $14 million. The former sixth overall pick spent last season in Minnesota after being released by the team that drafted him in 2019, the New York Giants.

Is this truly going to be competition for Anthony Richardson, and what does it say that Jones chose to sign in Indianapolis over sticking with the Vikings?

First things first: The Colts quarterback situation is not in a good place. I don’t think I’m breaking any news to anybody but the 2025 season is now hinging on Anthony Richardson reversing course on his career and making huge strides in terms of accuracy and completion percentage, all of which need to happen while GM Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen could be on the hot seat as well. Not only does Richardson need to show improvement in multiple areas but he needs to be leaps and bounds better than he’s been for the Colts to even entertain picking up his fifth-year option or potentially a mega-money extension. That all seems too lofty for most quarterbacks in his position, especially in a potential make-or-break year.

Enter Daniel Jones, who has had issues himself. If this is truly a quarterback competition in training camp it will be interesting to see how both guys handle the pressure. Barring an unbelievably bad showing that they can’t hide, I’d expect the Colts to give Richardson every opportunity to earn the job outright. They’ve invested too much time and energy in him to give up before a down is played next season. Even if he gets the job from Jones, it’s not like it’s set in stone. If Richardson falters or gets injured, both of which are entirely possible, the Colts will turn to Jones, who has his share of issues as well. He’s regressed since his rookie season but has run circles around Richardson in terms of production and completion percentage.

Had Jones stayed in Minnesota, he would have been competing with JJ McCarthy. McCarthy saw his rookie season end abruptly after tearing his meniscus in a preseason game. The future for the Vikings is McCarthy. They invested the 10th overall pick in him just last year and are going to see what they have in him. Even if Jones was the starter out of camp in Minnesota, the leash was going to be extremely short in Minnesota. The Vikings are in the honeymoon phase with McCarthy, whereas the Colts seem to be headed to divorce court with Richardson, which makes Daniel Jones’ decision to sign up for the Colts make even more sense. Richardson has been at the bottom of nearly every statistical category when it comes to quarterback play, so Jones must be thinking he should be able to beat him out even if he plays less than his full potential. It could also mean that a one-year deal turns into something more long-term by the end of next season.

It's hard to get a read on what exactly Colts fans are hoping to see next season. Most seem to be resigned that Richardson doesn’t appear to be the answer, but he’s also on a rookie contract, and it’s going to be at least one more ride with him. They also aren’t exactly thrilled that Daniel Jones is the guy that will be providing the “competition” at the position that Ballard has stated. The Colts could still address the position even further in the draft if they decide to go that route. A mid-to-late round selection could give the quarterback room a view of the present with a rookie that could potentially develop down the line.

As of now, it’s Richardson and Jones, not exactly a battle of titans, but it’s what the Colts have. They’ve bolstered the secondary in the early stage of free agency with the additions of CB Chavarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum, but on the offensive side, we’ve seen the departures of both C Ryan Kelly and G Will Fries as they head to Minnesota, which means whoever is under center is going to be behind a Colts offensive line with at least two new starters on it. That’s even more pressure on either quarterback to be on top of their game behind a first-time group.

It's put up or shut up time for Anthony Richardson. The arrival of Daniel Jones, regardless of his success to this point, means the Colts are taking a one-year flyer on the 27-year-old to see if he can light a fire under the former fourth-overall pick or even supplant him as a starter. Hopefully, Richardson is up to the challenge and gets better right out of the gate in a prove-it year. If he can’t and Jones comes in and outworks him, then the Colts and the rest of the NFL have their answer on Anthony Richardson, if they didn’t already.