What grades from PFF did the current group of Indianapolis Colts’ quarterbacks receive for their performances last season?

What grades from Pro Football Focus did the current group of Indianapolis Colts’ quarterbacks receive for their performances last season?

All eyes will be on the Colts‘ quarterback position this summer with Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones competing for the starting job. Ultimately, what head coach Shane Stiechen is looking for is consistency.

Jones ended up taking most of the first-team reps during OTAs and then all of them during minicamp while Richardson was sidelined with a shoulder injury. The Colts aren’t putting a timeline on Richardson’s return, but several NFL insiders have reported that he should be ready for the start of training camp. However, a ramp-up period will be required, as Steichen mentioned, so even if Richardson is available on Day 1, we will have to see if he’s a full-go on Day 1.

Steichen was “very pleased” with what he saw from Jones this spring. Those additional reps may give Jones the upper hand heading into training camp, but what took place in late May and early June during offseason programs isn’t going to determine who the starter is come Week 1. The Colts still very much want there to be a competition here.

Now, as far as PFF’s grading system goes, I always want to add the caveat that this metric is far from the be-all end-all when it comes to evaluating a player’s performance. It is one tool out of many that are out there and should be treated as such.

For some context around these metrics, here is a look at PFF’s grading system to provide some context behind the numbers:

90.0+: Elite80-89.9: High quality70-79.9: Good60-69.9: Above average50-59.9: Average40-49.9: Below average39.9 or less: Poor

Alright, now let’s dive in. Along with each player’s grade from PFF, in parentheses is their ranking among the position group.

Anthony Richardson

PFF grade: 62.2 (37th/44)

We saw Richardson’s ability to generate explosive plays through the air, but the overall consistency was missing, particularly on those short to intermediate throws that quarterbacks need to hit on to help keep the chains moving. One of the points of emphasis this offseason for Richardson was on his footwork, which for a quarterback, is where accuracy often begins. If that element is off, then it increases the likelihood that the throw will be off as well.

Daniel Jones

PFF grade: 72.0 (25th/44)

The Giants would end up benching and then eventually releasing Jones last season. He then signed with the Vikings and joined their practice squad before taking over as the backup late in the season. Jones was still relatively efficient, completing 63% of his passes, but interceptions were up, along with him and the offense struggling to generate explosive plays.

Riley Leonard

PFF grade: 83.5* (24th)

Leonard would help lead Notre Dame to the National Championship Game. One of the aspects of Leonard’s game that drew the Colts to him was that he played some of his best football down the stretch in Notre Dame’s biggest games. Overall, Leonard completed 66.4% of his passes, did a very good job of taking care of the ball, and he rushed for nearly 1,000 yards as well.

Jason Bean

PFF grade: N/A

Bean spent his first NFL season on the Colts’ practice squad.