The Indianapolis Colts are grappling with a confusing quarterback rotation during their 2025 training camp, raising questions about the effectiveness of the Anthony Richardson Colts QB rotation. Despite having a healthy and talented quarterback group, including Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, the team’s offense struggles to find a clear identity and rhythm heading into the preseason.
Quarterback Duel Creates Disarray on Offensive Execution
Both Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones have shared first-team reps almost evenly under head coach Shane Steichen’s direction, with no clear designated starter. This approach, meant to foster competition, has instead led to disjointed offensive timing. Players remain uncertain about cadence cues, with wide receivers unsure whether the signals will come from the left or right hand, which disrupts their routes and timing.
While moments of electric playmaking surface—Jones launching deep passes and Richardson threading accurate throws through coverage—the offensive inconsistency persists. Steichen, however, refers to this situation as “good competition.” Yet, many insiders point out that the lack of a single quarterback leading the offense prevents cohesive timing and hurts overall performance.
Physically, Richardson appears more developed, showing a stronger base and quicker decision-making in red-zone drills. Meanwhile, Jones demonstrates efficiency and precision, particularly in 7-on-7 drills where his experience stands out in fast pre-snap reads. The paradox lies in having two capable signal-callers but not leveraging either’s full potential due to a conservative playbook and shared snaps, creating continual adjustment challenges for teammates.
One receiver described the camp’s daily installation meetings as “overlapping installs,” where slightly modified concepts depend on which quarterback is on the field. This approach leads to confusion in route timing, blocking assignments, and protection schemes, causing missed assignments and fragmented execution during practices. Far from an effortless camp, the offense currently operates in a sluggish, segmented state, not from lack of talent but from inconsistent game planning.
Veteran receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has not publicly criticized the offensive scheme, but reports suggest growing frustration among the more experienced players. The offense leans heavily on short-yardage plays designed to minimize risk and turnovers but lacks deeper routes such as vertical posts or layered crossing patterns. This constrained system appears to prioritize easing Richardson’s adjustment at the cost of stretching opposing defenses, limiting Indianapolis’ offensive ceiling.
Shane Steichen’s Coaching Style Shapes Conservative, Risk-Averse Offensive System
Head coach Shane Steichen, known for maximizing quarterback talent through his work with Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts, has implemented a system reminiscent of his earlier days coaching at Nevada’s Shadow Ridge High School. The offense emphasizes speedy run-pass option (RPO) reads, simple slant-flat combinations, sprint-out plays to simplify coverage reads, and power-running packages aimed at generating predictable throwing lanes.
This approach intentionally reduces decision-making complexity, favoring a low-risk, high-pressure scheme that suits young or recovering quarterbacks but limits vertical creativity and aerial aggressiveness. The limited expansive play design has become increasingly evident as camp progresses, leaving the offense stuck without a dynamic identity.
Both quarterbacks are reportedly taking nearly 170 snaps each per week, alternating their distinct skill sets to test responses under varied pressures. Steichen explains this as a way to
“assess how each reacts to various stressors.”
Yet, some staff members voice concern that the strategy breeds stagnation rather than progress. One blunt assessment from a team insider told local media,
“You rotate QBs, you rotate weapons, and eventually guys start asking—what are we actually building toward?”
This experimental rotation raises the question of whether the Colts risk wasting significant quarterback talent by operating within a high school-style offense that restricts growth and clarity.
Implications for Colts’ Offense and Upcoming Preseason
With key contributors like Jonathan Taylor expected to return healthy and promising new playmakers such as Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould vying for reps, the need for a defined offensive identity grows even more urgent. Both Richardson and Jones have shown commitment and vocal leadership, but the Colts remain divided by their multi-quarterback approach.
Their August 7 preseason opener is poised to serve as a pivotal moment. It could clarify whether the offense can coalesce under one clear leader or if the coaching staff will persist in the risky strategy of splitting reps and styles. Continuing to straddle this line may lead the Colts into familiar pitfalls of confused optionality mistaken for strategic innovation.
In the NFL, clear quarterback leadership often dictates offensive success, and the Colts’ current uncertainty threatens to undermine their potential. Though talent abounds, the lack of an established offensive framework in this critical offseason stage could limit both immediate effectiveness and long-term growth, dimming expectations for a promising young roster.