INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts are signing veteran quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad in the wake of Anthony Richardson’s injury, a league source confirmed to IndyStar.

Rypien, 29, was released by Cincinnati last week after the Bengals traded for veteran Joe Flacco, and he was one of the most experienced backups available.

Undrafted out of Boise State, Rypien spent most of his rookie season in Denver on the practice squad, then spent three seasons as a backup for the Broncos, playing in eight games and starting three. Rypien, who’s uncle, Mark, was Peyton Manning’s backup in 2001, went 2-1 in his starts as a Bronco, completing 61.5% of his passes for 778 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Rypien then spent the 2023 season with the Rams, making one start and completing 18 of 38 passes for 172 yards and an interception in a loss to the Packers. Rypien bounced around after that game, getting brief stints with the Seahawks, Jets, Bears and Vikings before landing Cincinnati at the end of training camp.

The timetable for Richardson’s recovery is unclear. The third-year quarterback suffered an orbital bone fracture in a freak accident with a resistance band on Sunday, and the Colts placed him on injured reserve Monday, ensuring that Richardson will miss at least four games.

Indianapolis also has rookie quarterback Riley Leonard, a sixth-round draft pick who has been the team’s emergency quarterback through the first six games of the season.

Rypien’s experience may help him to learn the offense quickly, although it is unclear if Rypien or Leonard will serve as the team’s primary backup on Sunday against the Chargers.

“I’ve been places where you add a quarterback in the middle of a season, and he’s a veteran guy who’s been in a lot of different systems and understands football at a high rate, and then you have to translate verbiage sometimes or translate different details of the offense,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said before Rypien’s signing on Tuesday. “We’ll do whatever we think is best with however the situation ends up shaking out to prepare whoever it ends up being – to be ready for their opportunity.”

But the options were thin for an experienced backup who could shore up the Indianapolis quarterback room until Richardson is available again.

Joel A. Erickson covers the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.