As the Indianapolis Colts reported for training camp at Grand Park Sports Complex yesterday, the big question was the health of quarterback Anthony Richardson.

The last time we saw Richardson, he was given a rest day to end the Colts’ mandatory minicamp period. Richardson is coming off shoulder surgery to his throwing arm and had experienced soreness the day before but vowed there was nothing to worry about. Seven weeks later, it seems AR is ready to go for his second training camp.

“I don’t think so,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard declared when asked if Richardson would have any maintenance days in camp. “I’m not expecting any limitations right now.”

Richardson is a full go, meaning the Colts are ready to unleash their full offensive attack. There has been a lot of hype from fans and media alike this offseason about Richardson’s potential in Shane Steichen’s offense. Teammates are also buying into the hype, excited to see what Richardson brings to Year Two.

It starts with running back Jonathan Taylor, Richardson’s running mate in the backfield. The duo only played two snaps together in 2023, an unfortunate result of two electric offensive weapons dealing with injuries. But 2024 figures to be different, and while Richardson and Taylor still have work to do, the former All-Pro running back is jacked up to see what they can do.

“Just to get a feel for each other, learn how one another moves, how they play, how he thinks,” Taylor remarked. “I think it’s going to be really fun. There were very few snaps (together last season), but we are praying for a full 17 weeks full of snaps this year.

“It’s almost like there’s a whole new element now,” Taylor continued. “You’re not just worrying about what I’m doing. It’s like, ‘You better worry about this guy because if not, he’s going to kill you.’”

Building chemistry with Taylor is only one aspect of Richardson’s return to the field. Richardson’s last game was back in early October, over nine months ago. Nine months is a long time to not be in pads.

Richardson will need to get used to the speed of the game again when the pads strap back on. But after countless workouts with his teammates this summer, it should not take long for Richardson to build up the rapport he once had with his weapons.

“I think for Anthony it’s just getting back into the flow of things because every time that I’ve seen him this offseason, he looks great,” Michael Pittman Jr. admitted. “He’s in good shape, he’s throwing well, he’s all healed up. So, really just further learning and more experience. … Just get him ramped up and ready to play because it’s been a long time since he’s been able to play football.”

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Much of the attention will be about what Richardson does on the field, and rightfully so. But while he was not on the field for most of last season, Richardson grew as a quarterback off the field. Mastering the offense, developing a better understanding of defensive concepts, and growing as a leader are just a few of the things Richardson focused on during his injury.

And his teammates have already noticed the young quarterback putting what he has learned into practice.

“Physically, he looks amazing,” Ryan Kelly stated. “I think he’s taken a lot of growth off the field as well just watching film and doing cut-ups and stuff like that. I’m excited to see him come out here and compete. I know what kind of character and what kind of leadership he’s gotten from Year One to Year Two. So it’ll be exciting to see.”

It is not just the offensive side of the ball that has taken note of Richardson’s growth either. Leaders of the Colts’ defense are excited to have a quarterback of his caliber on their team. Not only will going up against Richardson in practice make the defense better, and vice versa, but having a talented quarterback who can make winning plays gives the Colts a chance to reach heights this team has not seen in quite some time.

“His ceiling’s through the roof,” DeForest Buckner said about Richardson. “The kid’s got – The Lord blessed him with so many talents. He’s gifted physically, and it’s just the mental part of his game that he’s going to have to continue to build and work on. He’s lucky to have a coach like Shane (Steichen) who’s got a great mind for the game and can help him develop to the quarterback that everybody sees him becoming.”

The entire Colts franchise is excited about what is next for Richardson and what he can accomplish leading this team. But ultimately, talk is cheap. What matters is the results that Richardson and this team put on the field.

There will be bumps in the road along the way. It is to be expected out of a 22-year-old quarterback with only four NFL starts under his belt. The key will be learning from those mistakes and overcoming them.

The ability to overcome adversity will determine if Richardson will be successful in the NFL and reach his ceiling as a quarterback. It will take a lot of hard work and dedication to make it happen, but for those who know Richardson, his confidence in accomplishing what he sets out to do is unwavering.

“There’s a naive confidence that, for a guy that hadn’t played a lot of snaps, just believes that he’s pretty freaking good,” Ballard explained. “And that’s a good thing, that’s not a bad thing. I do believe his poise is pretty rare, especially for a guy that really (only threw) 84 passes. Usually with rookies you see a lot of panic when they’re playing, a lot of frantic play. You didn’t see that with Anthony, and I think that’s a good sign.”

Year Two for Richardson is here, and so is all of the hype surrounding the former No.4 overall pick. Richardson is confident he can lead the Colts to the promised land. His teammates believe he has all the capabilities to make it happen as well.

Time to see if Richardson can usher in a new golden age of Colts football.

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