Anthony Richardson to start Colts preseason opener

Richardson, who played college ball for the Florida Gators, was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in April, and Colts owner Jim Irsay has been on the record saying he wants him on the field.

“For Anthony, we know it’s going to be tough. But he has to play to get better," Irsay said on the Pat McAfee Show in July. "There’s no question." 

The Colts were 4-12-1 last year, and rolling with Richardson opposed to a journeyman like Minshew may make more sense for a team that appears to be in a transitionary year and won't be Super Bowl contenders. Richardson attempted just 393 career passes at Florida and more time on task out of the gate could do him wonders.

While Minshew won't roll over and the quarterback competition could extend throughout the preseason, the announcement that Richardson will start the preseason opener is a big deal. Minshew, who owns a career passer rating of 93.1, could make things interesting with a strong showing on Saturday vs. the Bills, but what's not in his favor is Irsay consistently clamoring for Richardson to see the field early and often. 

Irsay told The Athletic in April that Richardson's development is "key to the franchise’s future" and "he gets better by playing." Perhaps Irsay's merely getting his way or maybe Richardson has earned QB1 duties from the onset.

There will be learning curves for Richardson, but his athletic ability is undeniable.

"I'm not an average quarterback, and I can do things other QBs can't do," Richardson said in April. 

Richardson can back that talk up. Richardson rushed for 654 yards and nine touchdowns last season and had the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash (4.43 seconds) at the NFL combine among quarterbacks since 2000. 

The Colts have had a revolving door of quarterbacks since Andrew Luck retired in 2019, and the hope is Richardson will provide long-term stability at the position for a franchise desperately needing a change of direction.