Over the next few weeks I will be doing a short preview of each position group while also listing superlatives to describe a player or group of players. In this edition, I kick off this series with the QBs.
Currently, the ESPN depth chart for the Colts has Gardner Minshew as the starter, Anthony Richardson as the backup, and Sam Ehlinger third on the depth chart. However, as I listed in a previous article, Colts owner Jim Irsay even said, “I mean, practice and preseason games and watching in a quarterback room, that’s great. But, man, I’ll tell you, he’d get better by playing, and it’s something that is really important. Because, again, his development is so much of a key to the franchise’s future. It is the critical key.”
So without further ado, let’s get into it…
Image: NFL.com
The Starter: Gardner Minshew
Despite Jim Irsay’s comments about Richardson needing to see the field and HC Shane Steichen’s rave reviews on Richardson’s progress, the fact of the matter is that the fourth overall pick is still a work in progress. Gardner Minshew is no shining star in his own right, but as of right now it doesn’t seem that Richardson is ready to lead an NFL offense. According to Bet MGM the Colts currently have the fourth worst odds to win the Super Bowl. Since this is the case, why take the chance of throwing Richardson onto the field too early? Irsay is right, playing time will be critical to Richardson’s development. But, there’s still the chance he’s thrown into the fire too early. If this scenario arises, Richardson seeing the field would be more detrimental than helpful.
Image: Indianapolis Colts
The “Dark” Horse: Anthony Richardson
Even though everything is still pointing towards Minshew being the starter right now, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Richardson overtake Minshew sooner rather than later. Recently on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Jeremy Fowler had this to say, “The word I’ve heard is dazzled. He has dazzled multiple times with the kind of playmaking he can make…” With how Richardson has been progressing through Rookie Minicamp and OTAs, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him be the Week 1 starter especially if he has a good preseason. If he isn’t the starter Week 1, I’d expect to see Richardson under center no later than Week 4.
Image: Indianapolis Colts
The Rest: Sam Ehlinger
Although the University of Texas product has delighted the Colts coaching staff with continuous improvement and poise over the past few years, he isn’t starter material. He wasn’t drafted to be a franchise QB but he definitely hasn’t impressed fans and coaches with his play. Furthermore, in 2022 Ehlinger’s TD to INT ratio was 1 to 1 resulting in a 31.9 QBR. By these standards, Ehlinger isn’t even up to par with some backup QBs around the NFL. For the future, he’ll be a decent QB to keep around the locker room especially with Minshew only on the roster for a year. But for now, he’ll need to step aside and help mentor Richardson to become the QB of the future for the Indianapolis Colts.
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