The Colts have gone years without a long-term answer at quarterback. And they may go several more before it's clear they've got one. Hours after spending the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft on Florida's Anthony Richardson, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is tempering expectations -- and preaching patience -- for the team's biggest Day 1 QB investment since Andrew Luck.
"He's got to come in and earn his way like every player we bring in," Ballard told reporters, per ProFootballTalk. "Let's not expect him to be Superman from Day 1. I think history has shown there's not many of them that are Superman from Day 1. Some of them it takes two, three years for them to become a really good player. ... It's the one area where ... the pressure for these guys after one or two years (is higher). Back 10, 15 years ago, guys would get year three, four, five (to prove themselves).
"Think about it," Ballard continued. "Terry Bradshaw, he might have never played in today's NFL. It took him time in Pittsburgh. ... We've got to let these guys develop and play. They're going to have some struggles and then they've got to work through the struggles and eventually, their talent -- the more they play, their talent will come to life."
The same could obviously be said for any incoming NFL rookie. But Ballard's comments are notable because they reinforce the common perception of Richardson going into the draft: while supersized (6-4, 244) and supremely athletic, he could require more time to grow into a consistent passer, at least in comparison to fellow first-round QBs Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.
It's possible former Eagles backup Gardner Minshew, who signed with the Colts this offseason, could open the 2023 season as Indianapolis' tentative starter, with Richardson waiting in the wings.
