3 reasons why Daniel Jones could snatch QB1 job from Anthony Richardson next season at Colts

In light of the Colts signing Daniel Jones to a one-year contract worth $14 million, here are three reasons why he can secure the starting job.

3 reasons why Daniel Jones could snatch QB1 job from Anthony Richardson next season at Colts

Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones (Image via NFL/X)

Former New York Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones finds himself on his third team in a span of one year. The quarterback signed with the Minnesota Vikings to be a part of their practice squad after the Giants released him mid-season. Now, Jones has turned down the opportunity to stay in Minnesota despite the departure of Sam Darnold.

His decision is likely a result of the team’s inclination toward starting JJ McCarthy next season. Jones has instead opted to join the Indianapolis Colts, a team that is facing some uncertainty at the quarterback position. The Colts had veteran Joe Flacco backing up Anthony Richardson last season, but he is now a free agent.

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The Colts did not re-sign Flacco. Instead, they signed Daniel Jones to a one-year deal worth $14 million, a fair price for a quarterback in today’s market.

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Despite viewing Anthony Richardson as a potential franchise quarterback, there is a strong chance that Daniel Jones can end up taking the starter’s role next season. Here are three reasons to justify this statement.

3. Anthony Richardson’s struggle to stay healthy

In two seasons, Anthony Richardson has played in under 50% of the total games. In his rookie season, he played 4 games before being ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson (Image via IMAGO)

Last season as well, the quarterback was able to play in just 11 games. His availability has been a matter of concern. If a team is to view a quarterback as being the face of their franchise, then availability and consistency must not be matters of concerns.

Ideally, the Colts will start Richardson at the start of the season but if he were to be unavailable for a brief stretch during the season and Daniel Jones steps in and shows promise then there is no reason for the team to revert back to the young quarterback.

2. Daniel Jones is better than Anthony Richardson

In two seasons, Richardson’s completion percentages have been 47.7% and 59.9%. Compare those numbers to Daniel Jones’ percentages. From his rookie season up until 2023, he has shown constant improvement. Last season, his percentage fell to 63.3%. Statistically, Jones is a better choice for the job.

Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones (Image via Heavy.com)

In terms of touchdowns to interception ratio too, Jones is better. He has not had double-digit turnovers since his rookie year, whereas the same cannot be said for Richardson. In his defense, the former fourth overall pick has not had enough time to truly show what he can do. One stat does work in his favor, that is, the Colts had a better record than the Giants this season, finishing with an 8-9 record.

1. The Colts are not fully sold on Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis is keeping their quarterback room competitive. Head Coach Shane Steichen made it clear that the starter’s job is still vacant. By adding Daniel Jones to the roster, the team intends to encourage competition for the job and if the quarterback can play better than Richardson, then he would have earned the job.

This should be concerning news for Richardson, because Jones has a huge chip on his shoulder. He understands that this is his last chance to prove that he is worthy of being a starting quarterback in the NFL. Which is why he will give his everything to do his job well.

However, Jones too will face stiff competition from Richardson because the young quarterback will not sit back and watch another player take his spot.

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