Stampede Blue
According to The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription), the ‘league’s circle,‘ which is comprised of fifty anonymous NFL coaches and executives, doesn’t think too highly of either of the Indianapolis Colts’ two starting quarterback options right now in the publication’s annual QB tiered rankings.
Specifically, both Daniel Jones (30th) and Anthony Richardson (32nd) found themselves in ‘Tier 4,’ having plummeted 7 and 6 spots in this latest yearly ranking respectively.
Voters overwhelmingly thought Jones would win the starting job in Indy. That said much about his primary competition, Anthony Richardson, who ranked ahead of only Spencer Rattler and Kenny Pickett in Tiers voting this year and then dislocated his pinkie finger in the preseason opener.
“I get nervous with Jones,” an offensive coach said. “I understand if you are not very good on offense and cannot protect, there will plays when you look bad, but there are too many times where he has a guy wide open and he throws it in the dirt or 10 feet over his head. I just don’t think he is naturally accurate, and I did not think he was in college.”
Jones had 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions over the past two seasons with the Giants. Richardson has 11 and 13 for Indy over the same span.
“A couple years ago, Jones was probably worthy of being a 3,” a defensive coordinator said. “He still might be that. He has to show it.”
An offensive coach with NFC East experience thought Jones, who carried the ball on designed runs a career-high 10 percent of the time last season, has been miscast.
“Why keep running this guy?” the coach asked. “He can do it, but he’s f—ing 6-5. He takes hits. He doesn’t have that slither at the end of those runs.”
A defensive coordinator said he thought Jones could be like the 2024 version of Darnold with a defense, running game and the right coordinator. But concerns over Jones’ ability to process linger.
An overwhelming majority of voters expected Daniel Jones to beat out Richardson for the job, well before Richardson dislocated his right pinkie finger on a sack in the preseason opener. Faith in Richardson’s long-term development has cratered, with 11 voters placing him in Tier 5, reserved for players who should not start at all.
“I think it is a pipe dream right now, based on what I have seen, to say he is a starter in the NFL,” an exec said. “The accuracy is not there. If you want to do college football RPO-type stuff, that is your guy. But some of the stuff last year was not starter quality.”
Voters remain mystified by Richardson’s decision to briefly exit a Week 8 game at Houston because he was too “tired” to stay on the field.
“That is a tough one to overcome,”...
