INDIANAPOLIS – The pieces are in place, so let the competition begin.
Welcome to the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, Daniel Jones.
General Manager Chris Ballard promised there would be “real’’ competition for the starting position this season, and that’s why the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterbacks room features a pair of lottery picks.
That would be dynamic-but-unreliable incumbent Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, and Jones, the No. 6 pick in 2019 who’s looking to kick-start the second phase of his career.
Jones could have remained with the Minnesota Vikings and dealt with J.J. McCarthy, but decided the Colts offered something better.
“An opportunity to come in and compete,’’ he said Thursday after signing his one-year, $14 million contract with a maximum value of $17.7 million. “I’m looking forward to that. I’ve had a lot of respect for Anthony, watching him. He’s certainly a talented young player. The competition aspect of it brings out the best in everybody.’’
That’s the anticipated and necessary end game with a situation created by Richardson’s inability to stay on the field – he’s missed 17 of 34 starts because of four different injuries – or be efficient enough in his 15 career starts.
The competition commences April 21 when the Colts open their offseason workout program but won’t really heat up until organized team activities (OTAs) in late May and early June. Things should really get interesting in late July when training camp opens at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
Does Richardson open as the starter if for no other reason than he’s back for a third season and has a firm grasp of Shane Steichen’s offense? Do Richardson and Jones alternate series with the No. 1 unit in practice?
The details will be hammered out, but the intent should be clear.
The best man must be under center for the regular-season opener in September. Ballard has made that clear in his discussions with Richardson.
“He’s a realist,’’ Ballard said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “He understands we’ve got to win games. Competition makes everybody better.’’
After Richardson’s first two seasons were marred by injuries and inaccuracy – he’s completed just 50.6% of his passes, including a franchise-record-low 47.7% last season – the determination was made to create legitimate competition for a young talent drafted to be the long-term future of the franchise.
“It has to be somebody that can really challenge from a production standpoint,’’ Ballard said.
At the end of last season, Richardson insisted he would welcome competition for his job.
“I’m a natural competitor,’’ he said. “I’ve been competing all my life. So, if the team feels like that’s the right direction we want to go in, I’m all for it . . . I’m going to do my part to be the best version of myself for this organization.’’
The coincides with Jones’ approach.
He was discarded by the New York Giants in late November – benched, granted his release and signed to Minnesota’s practice squad – and not retained by the Vikings this offseason.
Indy, Jones insisted, was “the best fit.’’
“I felt like that was here,’’ he said. “Just been really excited and really impressed with everyone here. I’m excited and looking forward to it.’’
Jones praised Steichen.
“He’s been successful in a number of places as an offensive coach and I think he’s built a really good staff,’’ he said.
That includes pass game coordinator Alex Tanney, who was a teammate of Jones with the Giants in 2019-20.
The personnel and personalities aside, the Colts offer Jones a chance to hit the reset button on his career.
He described his six-year stint with the Giants as a learning experience. It ran the gamut.
The high point came in 2022 when he was instrumental in the Giants earning a wild-card playoff berth – 15 touchdowns, just five interceptions, a career-high 708 rushing yards and seven TDs – and 31-24 first-round win at Minnesota.
The low points were many. He was 24-44-1 as a starter, absorbed 208 sacks and dealt with a neck injury and torn ACL in ’23. The Giants gave Jones a four-year, $160 million extension during the 2023 offseason, then terminated the deal less than two years later.
What went wrong?
“There’s a number of reasons and you can certainly go back and look at those, pick them apart,’’ Jones said. “Reflect on that, see where you could have done a better job, see where you obviously could have played better and helped the team out in more situations. But grateful for my time there, grateful for the experience and excited for this opportunity.’’
Often, succeeding in the NFL is about timing and location. Perhaps a much-hyped quarterback finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and needs a fresh start.
The most obvious reclamation projects are Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith.
Might Daniel Jones follow their paths? He insisted his confidence wasn’t damaged by the travails with the Giants.
“I’m still very confident in my ability to play quarterback at a high level in this league,’’ he said. “I think there’s a lot of really good football ahead of me and understand there’s a lot to learn, a lot to grow with. That’s what I’m focused on and that’s what you’re chasing. I’m confident and eager to get started here.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.