Stephen Holder
INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor admittedly had very little prior knowledge about Daniel Jones when the veteran quarterback was signed by the team this spring.
So Taylor watched Jones closely during the early stages of offseason workouts, trying to get a feel for the New York Giants’ 2019 first-round pick who came to Indy looking to revive his career.
“Super athletic,” Taylor said in describing Jones. “He’s really athletic. When you see him in person do some things, you’re like, ‘Oh, OK!'”
Taylor seemed pleasantly surprised. And this week, he’ll get a bigger eyeful of Jones as the veteran takes all of the first-team snaps during the Colts’ mandatory minicamp.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but with 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson sidelined again, this time with pain in his surgically repaired right shoulder, it has opened the door for Jones to strengthen his case to be the Colts’ starting quarterback in 2025.
Richardson missed all of last week’s practices and is expected to be out for the entirety of this three-day camp that begins Tuesday. This marks the first pivotal moment in the quarterback battle between Jones and Richardson, and it’ll impact both players in very different ways.
For Jones, who has been working diligently to master the offense after signing a one-year contract in March, he will finish the final two weeks of offseason practices orchestrating the starting offense without splitting reps. It’s an opportunity for positive momentum for a player who was released by the Giants last season and spent most of the remainder of his season on the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad.
“He’s been great,” coach Shane Steichen said. “He’s done a really nice job for us acclimating to the offense, learning the system. Obviously, a smart guy, [he] understands it. He’s picked it up real nice and he’s done some good things so far.”
Meanwhile, the situation only adds to Richardson’s narrative that he is frequently hurt and not always available. While this is not considered a major setback physically — the Colts think rest will be enough to resolve the issue — Richardson is battling those perceptions even within the franchise.
General manager Chris Ballard cited Richardson’s health as a reason the team decided to add a quarterback competition this offseason. Richardson has missed 17 games because of injury in his two NFL seasons.
Often, his injuries have come at inopportune moments. The hip injury that sidelined Richardson for two games last season came as he was off to perhaps the best start of his career in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. When he missed the final two games of the season because of back spasms, the issue flared up just as Richardson was making progress in the five games since an earlier two-game benching. He had led two game-winning drives during that stretch and was seemingly building momentum.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating, but he is in good spirits,” Steichen said. “We’re working through it right now.”
Now, with Richardson having had a strong spring of preparation — he spent much of last offseason rehabbing from shoulder surgery — all that progress has been cut short. And when Richardson returns for training camp, he’s expected to be ramped up slowly, which might allow Jones to continue his ascent.
In any case, Jones came to Indianapolis to compete. He turned down an opportunity to return to Minnesota likely because he saw a higher likelihood of playing with the Colts. Richardson’s setback has only made that choice seem more prudent.
When he arrived in Indianapolis, Jones shared his mindset about getting back on the field. He hadn’t had a chance to lead a starting offense — in practice or in a game — since he was demoted by the Giants after Week 10 of last season, so this opportunity is precious.
“You want to be on the field,” Jones said in March. “You want to be competing. That’s why we prepare, why we go through all this is to play, to be on the field and do that. So not doing that was tough.”
Steichen has insisted that the more consistent player will earn the starting job this season. A decision remains a long way off. But, for now, Jones is the only quarterback in this battle who can demonstrate consistency seeing how he’s the only one on the field.
Each snap is an opportunity to make more impressions like those he’s made on Taylor.
“We’ve got juice on this offense,” Taylor said of his initial impressions of Jones. “I’m telling you right now: We’ve got juice.”
