NFL Trade Rumors
Speaking to reporters after announcing Daniel Jones won the starting quarterback competition over Anthony Richardson, Colts HC Shane Steichen said Jones will not have a short leash.
“He’s the starting quarterback for the season,” Steichen said via Joel Erickson. “I don’t want to have a short leash on that.”
“I feel confident in Daniel’s ability to lead us,” he later added via Mike Chappell.
It seems that Steichen, entering an important season for his long-term job security, has been leaning toward the experience of Jones for a while, who is a known quantity as an NFL player, over Richardson, despite the organization’s significant investment.
This decision opens up more questions about Richardson’s long-term future in Indianapolis, but Colts GM Chris Ballard insisted earlier this summer that regardless of the outcome of the competition, the organization would not give up on Richardson.
“I just think eventually Anthony’s going to be who we think he can be,” Ballard said. “I still believe that. Whether that’s this year or next, I don’t know when it’s going to happen.”
Jones, 27, was selected by the Giants with the No. 6 overall pick out of Duke in the 2019 NFL Draft. He finished the final year of his four-year, $25,664,056 rookie contract that included a $16,684,768 signing bonus.
The Giants declined Jones’ fifth-year option entering the 2022 season. After playing out his deal, he signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the team in 2023.
Jones was granted his release by the Giants after being benched and was later signed to the Vikings’ practice squad. He then signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Colts for the 2025 season.
In 2024, Jones appeared in 10 games for the Giants and completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 67 rush attempts for 265 yards and two touchdowns.
We’ll have more on the Colts’ quarterback situation as the news is available.
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