In the latest QB rankings from The Athletic, NFL execs and coaches evaluated Anthony Richardson’s play.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando put together his annual quarterback tiers and rankings for the quarterback position, including the Indianapolis Colts’ Anthony Richardson.

To help cultivate these tiers, Sando spoke with 50 NFL coaches and executives to get their opinions on each player.

Richardson would end up in Tier 4 out of five possible tiers and was ranked 32nd overall. But what specifically did some of the NFL personnel who spoke to Sando have to say about Richardson’s play?

“I think it is a pipe dream right now, based on what I have seen, to say he is a starter in the NFL,” an exec said to Sando.

Sando noted that “an overwhelming majority” of the voters believe that Daniel Jones will start Week 1 for the Colts.

After completing just 47% of his passes last season, Richardson focused his offseason on the short to intermediate throws, prioritizing his footwork. Oftentimes, for a quarterback, proper mechanics and therefore accuracy start there.

That work is showing on the practice field this summer, with Richardson putting together a much more efficient showing. While not everything has gone smoothly, he’s also shown the ability to bounce back.

Steichen would also tell ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that he’s seen “great strides” from him as a leader as well.

But along with Richardson’s play on the field, staying healthy will be another key component for him this season.

“He’s a freaky athlete for his size, but he’s been hurt every year because of it,” a defensive coordinator told Sando. “Unless he is rearing back and throwing the ball as far as he can and somebody runs underneath it, he’s not accurate and can’t make any of those throws.”

The next step for Richardson is carrying over those performances on the practice field to a preseason game. After an injury limited Richardson in Week 1, he is going to see extended action in Week 2.

As Steichen has said multiple times, he is looking for consistency in the quarterback competition. This doesn’t only refer to completion rate, but also to the overall operation of the offense.