Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is sidelined once again due to a shoulder injury and won't attend the team's upcoming minicamp. According to Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who broke the unfortunate news to reporters, Richardson is grappling with "some aggravation" in his AC joint. This is the same joint that caused Richardson significant trouble in the 2023 season and led to a grade 3 AC joint sprain in his right throwing shoulder during a game against the Tennessee Titans, as the Indianapolis Colts reported.
Steichen explained the team's cautious approach in a statement obtained by the NFL, "Doctors, trainers checked it out, He's got some aggravation in his AC joint. So we're gonna sit him out this week. Obviously, he'll sit out for minicamp. We'll see when he comes back. Not gonna put a timetable for training camp on it, but when he does come back, we'll ease him into throwing, and then we'll go from there. The good thing is he's not gonna need a procedure right now." Despite the setback, the Colts have not slotted Richardson for any surgical procedures at this time.
With Richardson out, free-agent acquisition Daniel Jones is expected to step up and receive all of the first-team reps during team activities. The Colts scooped Jones into their roster ostensibly to up the ante in the quarterback department, giving rise to a full-on duel between Jones and Richardson for the starting spot. This could be a pivotal moment for Jones to make a case for himself in the lead-up to the more competitive training camp period, which is set to start on July 22. This detail was confirmed in a report by Colts Wire.
Richardson's absence casts a shadow over the preseason narrative for the Colts. Last season, the player appeared in four games, but then injuries sidelined him for another stretch of four. The team and its fans are presumably hopeful that this pattern will not repeat itself and that Richardson will be "good to go for the start of camp," as mentioned in the Colts Wire article. Until then, Jones will be the one under the spotlight, as the Colts navigate through their preseason program, and gear up for what they hope, is a less injury-plagued campaign.
.png){kind=link}