Instead, his development stalled and the expectations kept sliding. What started as optimism around a franchise quarterback has turned into uncertainty about whether he\u2019ll even be on the roster next year.<\/p>\n
ESPN\u2019s Stephen Holder<\/a> dropped a report that basically sealed it. Indianapolis has decided to move forward with Daniel Jones as the starter for 2026, even though he\u2019s still recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered back in early December.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team has concluded that re-signing Daniel Jones and leaning on him as their starting quarterback \u2014 despite the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in early December \u2014 is the best course of action,\u201d Holder wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cAdditionally, there is growing belief that Riley Leonard has shown enough coming off of his rookie year to be a No. 2 quarterback based on his performance in practice and in his lone start against the Houston Texans in the season finale.\u201d<\/p>\n Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Anthony Richardson Sr. (5), Daniel Jones (17) and Riley Leonard (15) prepare for drills Monday, July 28, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield.<\/p>\n If that plan sticks, Richardson\u2019s path leads out of Indianapolis. His NFL career so far has been a mix of flashes and setbacks. He only got into four games during his 2023 rookie season, finishing with 577 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception.<\/p>\n Year two brought more opportunities but not much consistency. Richardson played 11 games in 2024 and threw for 1,814 yards with eight touchdowns against 12 interceptions. This past season saw him limited to just two appearances.<\/p>\n RELATED: NFL Insider confirms \u2018smoke\u2019 around potential Maxx Crosby trade<\/a><\/p>\n Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) stands on the field during the National Anthem before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Teams hunting for a quarterback reset might circle back if Richardson asks out. The Colts opened 2025 on fire, rattling off seven wins in their first eight games and looking like a legitimate AFC contender.<\/p>\n Then Jones went down against Jacksonville on Dec. 7 with that Achilles tear. Before the injury, he\u2019d put together a solid first season in Indianapolis with 3,101 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.<\/p>\n After he left the lineup, the team collapsed. Indianapolis dropped eight of its final nine games to close out the year.<\/p>\n \u2014 Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead <\/a>\u2014<\/p>\n OLYMPICS: USA figure skater Isabeau Levito gushes over Olympic Village<\/a><\/p>\n NFL: Tyreek Hill makes hilarious first move after Dolphins release<\/a><\/p>\n CBB: 2026 college basketball rankings, updated AP Top 25 after Week 15<\/a><\/p>\n MLB: Tigers infielder from Taiwan apologizes to Koreans after trash talk goes viral<\/a><\/p>\n SPORTS MEDIA: College Hall of Famer, father of Chicago Bulls coach, dies<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/default-738-scaled.jpg\")
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