The Indianapolis Colts are gearing up for the 2023 NFL season with a lot of hope. However, there's some worry about how well their main players are doing in training camp. Gardner Minshew and Jonathan Taylor, who are key players on the team, are having a hard time keeping their starting positions. That's whether it's an issue of skill or health. As the season approaches quickly, the Colts are going to have some tough choices to make about who gets to be on their team. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how Minshew and Taylor are struggling, how the Colts did in the 2022 season, and what we can expect from them in 2023.

The Colts in the 2022 NFL Season

The Indianapolis Colts had a tough time during the 2022-23 NFL season. They ended with a record of 4-12-1, which wasn't great. Indy missed the playoffs for the second year in a row and had a bunch of problems all through the season. They kept changing their starting quarterback three different times during the season, but things didn't go the way they wanted. On December 4, 2022, they had a really big loss against the Dallas Cowboys, and the final score was 19-54. Even though they had a hard time, the Colts said they had decided to focus on Anthony Richardson a month before the draft, and luckily, they were able to get him. He is a quarterback from Florida. The team is hopeful about the future, and Jonathan Taylor, who's a running back, wants a contract extension before the season starts.

Now, let's look at the two key players for the Colts who might not be starting in the 2023 NFL season.

1. Minshew Out, Richardson In

This is pretty straightforward and it's already done. Rookie QB Anthony Richardson has been chosen to be the starting quarterback for the 2023 regular season. Head coach Shane Steichen said this on Tuesday. Richardson really impressed Steichen after just one preseason game, and that's why he got the role. Steichen thinks he's really promising, especially because Steichen knows how to help QBs to excel. After all, he did it with Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. So, unfortunately for Gardner Minshew, who was projected to be the main quarterback, he won't be starting anymore. Minshew was the backup quarterback for the Eagles last season, and he moved to the Colts with hopes of being the main quarterback again, like he was for the Jaguars in 2019. But that's not going to happen now.

People might remember Richardson throwing an interception during his first drive in the Colts' first preseason game. That was definitely not good. There was a clear misunderstanding, and Richardson tried to throw the ball when he was under pressure and he didn't need to. But it's more important to see how he recovered after that. He did really well on his last two drives and even made a really great throw to Alec Pierce, who couldn't catch it perfectly because he was falling to the ground. If he had caught it, it could've been a 34-yard touchdown.

Richardson still has a lot of things to learn, especially about his footwork. Still, that's what this whole season is about for him. This was only his 14th game since he started playing in college. Even though the stats might not show it, this was a good start for him.

2. Jonathan Taylor's Injury Opens the Door for Deon Jackson

Since Jonathan Taylor is still recovering from his knee injury, it wouldn't be a surprise if Deon Jackson gets to start at the beginning of the season. Take note that the whole group of running backs didn't do that well in the first preseason game. However, Jackson was definitely the best out of all of them. He was the only one who played with the first-team offense and he got the ball six times, running for 35 yards. The running back situation is a bit crowded, and things can change really quickly. Right now, though, Jackson seems like the leader. Especially since Taylor and Zack Moss are both injured.

Keep in mind that Jackson couldn't practice for a few days because of a problem with his quad muscle, and he wasn't even expected to play. But now he's all better because he had some really good runs and even started as the main running back. Again, Jonathan Taylor, who's usually the top running back, has a problem with his ankle and Zack Moss has a broken arm. This means Jackson might end up being the main running back when the regular season starts. He showed on Saturday that he can handle the job, at least for a little while.

What the Future Looks Like

Even though there are some worries about Minshew and Taylor, people still think the Indianapolis Colts are an interesting team for the 2023 season. They have a strong defense and really good receivers, like Michael Pittman Jr and Pierce. If their new starting quarterback, Anthony Richardson, does well and Taylor stays healthy, the Colts could be in a good position to try and get into the playoffs.

Having said that, Colts still have some hard choices to make as they get ready for the 2023 NFL season. Richardson is already in as the quarterback, and Jackson might replace Taylor. The team has to decide whether to make more changes. Even with these problems, the Colts are still seen as an exciting team, and if they can work on their issues during the preseason, they might have a shot at getting into the playoffs.