Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is fit and ready for his second season, following a rookie year disrupted by injuries. The 22-year-old feels that his second offseason in coach Shane Steichen's scheme has provided him with better command and understanding of the system.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's absence for most of his rookie season because of a right shoulder injury was less than ideal, but his progress might not have been as significantly affected as some might have thought.
Although Richardson missed on-field learning, head coach Shane Steichen mentioned that he “had that opportunity to sit back and watch,” enabling Richardson to build a “memory bank full of different looks and things we’re going to run in the season.”
Richardson's doubters pointed to his mental health and game-processing speed as concerns entering the 2023 NFL Draft. However, with a year of experience in an NFL film room, the learning appears to have paid off as he continues to develop at the professional level.
Anthony Richardson's improving mental health
Anthony Richardson has made considerable strides mentally, essential given his challenging transition from Florida according to Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated. Coaches have emphasized improving his communication and command at the line, using innovative approaches such as extended evening walkthroughs with numerous snaps to help instill these skills.
This rapid progress in Richardson's development is particularly noticeable in his capability to make line-of-scrimmage checks. Maintaining his health is essential, but there are many reasons to be enthusiastic about the fourth pick from the 2023 draft, given his growing control over the offense.
Richardson notes that this process has made him feel more at ease with running the offense compared to where he was at the same point last year.
“The communication is definitely, has advanced for us. Last year was more so, ‘OK, follow the read, do this,’” Richardson said, as per Associated Press’ Michael Marot.
Richardson's rookie season was cut short by a shoulder injury in Week 5, limiting him to just four games. Although playing through the season would have been preferable, the time he spent on the sidelines provided him with a valuable opportunity to observe and understand the offense from a different angle.
“Now it’s like, ‘OK if the defense does this, now I want you to think about this right here.’ Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But it’s just trying to find ways to tweak our offense and get comfortable with each other. But I definitely feel like there’s been a huge jump from last year to this year,” he continued.
The Indiana Colts relying on their young guns
Under second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, the team seems to be clicking offensively like never before. Breer says Richardson's development has been “pretty significant” as he heads into his sophomore season.
Defensively, Colts rookie linebacker Laiatu Latu has been consistently impressive, making a strong impact in practice. The 15th overall pick has notched several sacks during drills, offering Colts fans a promising glimpse of his potential. This is especially encouraging given that Samson Ebukam, who was sidelined for the 2024 season with a severe lower leg injury, is unable to contribute this year.
Anthony Richardson has hit 50 of his 78 pass attempts during eight practices. The Colts' hopes for the 2024 season largely hinge on Richardson maintaining his health and expanding on the flashes of brilliance he demonstrated as a rookie.
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