Anthony Richardson didn’t have much playing time as a rookie before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury, starting just four games.
But he’s healthy heading into his second season and is in a good position to excel in 2024.
Veteran center Ryan Kelly told reporters earlier this week that he’s seen Richardson exhibit more qualities of an established starter through the offseason program and training camp.
“I think the leadership role has really been starting to kind of come out,” Kelly said, via transcript from the team. “It’s holding guys accountable, using snap count, changing protections. The things that a year-one starting quarterback with minimal college experience probably — you’re not expecting that to be right now and every single time. But the work he did, sitting in meetings last year when he was injured, the offseason, having a handful of practices under our belt here — I think you can really start to see it.
“I witnessed it today. It just kind of caught me off guard. I was like man, it’s cool to see him really progressing into that role and that’s the role you really need him to be into.”
Richardson and most of Indianapolis’ other starters are set to play in this weekend’s preseason opener against Denver.
