Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson saw his NFL rookie campaign come to a screeching halt due to a shoulder injury that would ultimately require surgery, but he seems to be full speed ahead for the season opener come September.
Former NFL offensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion Damien Woody has big expectations for Richardson in 2024.
Woody particularly likes Richardson for this coming season due to Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who has a rather impressive history of working with quarterbacks. Woody specifically named Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts as a couple of signal-callers that Steichen has mentored in the past.
He also added that Richardson showed some flashes last season before getting injured and thinks that the combination of Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor will be a major problem for opposing defenses.
What should we really expect from Anthony Richardson in Year 2?
Technically, this is Richardson’s sophomore campaign, but in a way, one can really look at it as his true rookie season because he only played in four games in 2023.
The 22-year-old was unable to develop any sort of continuity last year. In Week 2, he sustained a concussion that knocked him out of action the following contest. Then, in Week 5, Richardson suffered the shoulder injury that would end his season.
During his brief time on the field in 2023, Richardson threw for 577 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while completing 59.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 87.3. He also rushed for 136 yards and four scores, averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
The University of Florida product, who the Colts took with the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft last spring, certainly has a nice set of weapons at his disposal.
Indianapolis re-signed No. 1 wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason and also selected University of Texas standout Adonai Mitchell in the second round of the draft. Indy also has Josh Downs and Alec Pierce at the position, as well as tight end Jelani Woods. Plus, we already mentioned Taylor.
On top of all of that, the Colts have a pretty impressive offensive line.
There are definitely reasons to believe that Richardson will have a strong season, but some growing pains should also be expected. Let’s also remember that he is coming off shoulder surgery.
Anthony Richardson and Co. will kick off their regular season when they host the Houston Texans on Sept. 8.
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