By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard sees the changes in Anthony Richardson.
He seems more comfortable with the playbook. He’s matured as a person and as a player. And, yes, even at his size and with his playing style, Richardson understands he must protect himself better from injuries.
Ballard also understands the second-year quarterback is far from a finished product and acknowledges Richardson will have to navigate some rough patches to take the Colts on the journey everyone around Indianapolis expects.
“Look, there are going to be some roller-coaster moments,” Ballard said Wednesday. “Most quarterbacks when they’re young, they go through those moments, but you have to learn from them, grow from them and keep moving forward. Just look around the league and it’s a little bit up and down.”
In an injury-shortened rookie season, the 6-foot-4, 244-pound Richardson provided tantalizing glimpses of his playmaking skills with a strong arm and powerful legs. He ran for four touchdowns and threw three more in just four games.
But he also struggled with accuracy, completing a pedestrian 59.5% of his throws, while accounting for three turnovers and only finishing one of the four games before having season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder.
And it was those injuries — a bruised knee and sore ankle, a concussion and the sprained AC joint in his shoulder — that prompted so much offseason talk about whether Richardson would run less or get out of bounds more often.
Ballard believes Richardson will find ways to stay healthy without changing his style.
“The more he plays, the more he sees, the better he’s going to get,” Ballard said. “I do think he will do a better job protecting himself, I do think is one area you’ll see him improve. But look, eventually the game starts and the instincts turn on. So we’ll see.”
Richardson showed signs of progression at training camp and during two joint practices with the Arizona Cardinals, the second in heavy rain, though he ran just two series total in Indy’s first two preseason games before playing about 1 1/2 quarters in the finale at Cincinnati.
One thing that will help when the season kicks off Sept. 8 against Houston: Experience. Not only did Richardson get to study Indy’s final 12 games, as rookie quarterbacks often did in the past, he had an entire offseason to work out with his teammates.
Plus, Indy’s entire starting offensive line returns intact, Ballard used the draft to help beef up the Colts’ receiving group and 2021 NFL rushing champ Jonathan Taylor’s presence in the backfield should help keep defenses off guard. Taylor and Richardson only took two game snaps together in 2023.
That’s not all.
“I think the leadership role has really been coming out,” Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly said. “It’s holding guys accountable, using snap counts, changing protections, the things a year one starting quarterback with minimal college experience probably — you’re not expecting that to be right away and every single time. But the work he did, sitting in meetings last year when he was injured, the offseason, I think you can really start to see it.”
It’s not just Kelly and the offense that could help the Colts end their three-year playoff absence — or their 10-year opening day losing streak.
Ballard believes this is the deepest defensive line group Indy’s had during his eight-year tenure and it could get even stronger if Samson Ebukam returns from a torn Achilles tendon that was initially expected to cost him the entire season. On Tuesday, though, the Colts designated Ebukam, last season’s team sacks leader, for a possible late-season return.
“It’s a long shot, there’s no doubt,” Ballard said. “But if I’m going to bet on somebody (getting back), I’m going to bet on Samson. It is a long shot, but you never know.”
Ballard also explained the reasoning behind cutting their final three selections in April’s draft — cornerbacks Jaylin Simpson and Micah Abraham and defensive tackle Jonah Laulu. Laulu was claimed off waivers by Las Vegas and Simpson was added to the Colts practice squad Wednesday.
Indy also made a change at cornerback by claiming Samuel Womack III off waivers and releasing Darrell Baker Jr. Womack III appeared in 23 games over the past two seasons with San Francisco after joining the team as a fifth-round pick in 2022.
