The Indianapolis Colts continued their winning ways in Week 6. Indianapolis beat Arizona 31-27 in a game where the Colts set a new franchise record for points scored through six weeks. But the Colts still have some questions to answer at the quarterback position.
ESPN's Stephen Holder shared an update on Indy's backup quarterback plans following Richardson's freak injury.
“The Colts are still trying to determine how much time Richardson will miss, but he WILL be sidelined a while,” one source told Holder. “The question then becomes do they sign a QB or roll w rookie Riley Leonard as No. 2?”
Richardson was a surprise inactive on Sunday after sustaining an unexpected injury during pregame warmups.
The third-year quarterback suffered an orbital fracture while using a stretch band before the game. As Holder noted, a pole used to attach the stretch band snapped, sending the band back at Richardson's face.
Richardson's eye is reportedly fine, but there is significant swelling around his eyes that will temporarily impair his vision.
Will the Colts bring in a quarterback to challenge Riley Leonard as a backup?
The Colts turned to rookie Riley Leonard as the backup for Daniel Jones on Sunday.
But will Indy look to add another backup quarterback following Richardson's recent injury?
The Colts may wait to learn how long Richardson will be out before making a decision. They are 5-1 and in complete control of the AFC South, so they'll want to make sure they have a viable backup plan in case Jones suffers an injury.
Indy drafted Leonard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. It is understandable to want a backup quarterback with more experience than Leonard. Especially considering the stakes for the Colts at this point in the regular season.
But finding a new backup may not be easy.
As the Bengals know all too well, finding another capable quarterback just lying around is next to impossible. The Bengals were forced to trade for Joe Flacco to give themselves a spark before Week 6. It feels unlikely that Indy would make a similar move.
It will be fascinating to see what move the Colts make, if they make one, following Richardson's freak injury.
Next up for the Colts is a Week 7 matchup against the Chargers.
