Cover photo taken from DraftKings.
Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.
Because the wheel hates me and doesn’t want me to talk about a team that knows it wants to start the same QB for all 17 games, we head to Indianapolis, where the Colts are hosting arguably the most riveting quarterback battle of the summer.
Now two seasons removed from being drafted fourth overall, it’s make-or-break time for Anthony Richardson. With just 15 starts under his belt headlined by numerous injuries, laughable inaccuracy and tapping out of a game because he was tired, there is no more margin for error. He’s 8-7 in those games, which isn’t bad, but the 50.8% completion and 13 interceptions vs. 11 touchdowns tells the story. In 2024, Richardson ranked dead last in EPA+CPOE and completion percentage (he led the league by a solid margin in ADoT, though, which I find hilarious). Not great.
If you’ve been reading my stuff for a while, you’d know that I was pretty high on Richardson as a rookie. I liked what he flashed before being shut down for the year with a shoulder issue. And we all know the raw talent and ability is there. That’s why he’s the craziest rollercoaster in football; one second it’s a 70 air yard bomb for a touchdown, the next it’s the worst overthrow and interception you’ve ever seen. This was always a matter of whether or not he could have a Josh Allen-like development and turn into a superstar from a hypothetical.
Head coach Shane Steichen is running out of patience. Moreover, he knows that consistent quarterback play is what’s holding the Colts back from being a playoff team. They damn near won the division in 2023 with Gardner Minshew, and they were in the hunt for all of 2024 with Richardson and Joe Flacco going back and forth — which is nuts considering they were 24th in offensive EPA/play and 27th in success rate. I don’t entirely love the idea of bringing in a guy who could supplant your rookie QB in a pivotal third season, but I was all for it if it’d light a fire under Richardson and accelerate that aforementioned development.
This, however, isn’t what I had in mind. When the Colts signed Daniel Jones — who had just been through the Kevin O’Connell washing machine — way back at the start of the offseason, we all thought, “Well, if AR can’t beat him out, then we have a problem.” Uh, guys. We have a problem. Between injury concerns and continued poor play, Jones appears to be on track to be Indy’s Week 1 starter.
It’s borderline unfathomable. When Jones was released from the Giants in the middle of last season, I thought we’d seen the last of him in the league — especially as a starter. He was 24th in EPA+CPOE, after all. I never could have seen this coming. And as much as I feel bad for Richardson because I really wanted this to pan out — a guy with his skills could’ve been the most dynamic QB in the league — I have to agree with Steichen here. Jones gives them the best chance to win now.
But then I ask, does that really matter? If the ceiling with Minshew and Flacco was eight or nine wins, that probably remains the ceiling with Jones. We know the Colts aren’t going to the Super Bowl with either of these guys, but shouldn’t that mean the tie goes to the young guy who could still develop into a franchise QB? I just don’t see what Indianapolis loses from continuing to trot out AR. If by Week 4 he’s still horrendous, then by all means, pull him. But you never know what could happen. It’s more than likely that he still can’t read a defense or throw with touch and/or timing, but showing some belief in him might help.
The rest of this passing attack is just alright anyways. Jonathan Taylor is a very, very good lead back, and this offensive line ranked fourth in the league in run block win rate a year ago. As such, this will remain a run-first offense, which has been pretty productive. A WR group of Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould doesn’t move the needle to change that. If anyone will, it’ll be first-round tight end Tyler Warren, who was an absolute force at Penn State and could turn into one of the league’s premier TEs. He can catch, he can run you over, he can block and apparently throw and run the ball, too. Regardless of who starts under center, building a rapport with Warren will certainly go a long way.
In any case, I still think Indy’s strength is the other side of the ball. Between some really solid draft picks and good work in free agency, defense has become a strength for the Colts, who ranked 14th in EPA/play last year and 10th in success rate — including fifth against the run. The front seven is pretty dang good; Kwity Paye has been quietly solid for them off the edge, DeForest Buckner is still an elite DT, Zaire Franklin has turned into a perennial tackles leader. Now, Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum are brought in to bolster a secondary that was a weakness for this unit a year ago.
This isn’t a team that’s going to win now. It doesn’t feel like they’re even trying to. Considering the QB mid-off of the century, it’s hard to feel like this team is going to be super competitive this year. That’s fine, considering they have the right head coach and the right pieces to be good in the future. This will simply be a nothing year because of the lack of direction under center. I think it’s safe to say that the Colts’ 2026 Week 1 starter isn’t currently in Indianapolis.
X-Factor: QB Anthony Richardson
Not going to beat a dead horse here. It’s make-or-break for AR this season; as much as I want it to all come together, it just feels like a pipe dream. I’d love to be proven wrong. But, in the likely event that I’m not, Richardson will be cut or traded after this season and either be somebody’s backup or the craziest quarterback the UFL has ever seen.
Team MVP: RB Jonathan Taylor
Taylor bounced back from an injury-plagued, down 2023 with an awesome year, going off for over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground — by far his best season since breaking out in 2021. Somehow, he was the 47th-ranked RB out of 47 last year by PFF’s grading metrics; not sure how that happens, but chalk that up as another reason why I don’t like that system very much. The dude can clearly still play and has a lot left in the tank. As I mentioned earlier, this will still be a run-first team, and Taylor should have another very productive season.
Breakout Candidate: EDGE Laiatu Latu
Latu was the first defensive player off the board in last year’s draft, and though it wasn’t the flashiest rookie season ever, you could see why. He’s got crazy length and athleticism with some quick twitch and burst off the edge. That only resulted in four sacks last year, but you’ve gotta figure that more production will come with more reps. I think Latu could be in for a massive 2025 and emerge as the defensive anchor for this team’s future — which is what I’m sure the Colts had in mind when they selected him last April.
Record Prediction: 5-12
Tough schedule. Division is getting better. No good quarterback play. It’s all setting up for a subpar 2025 for the Colts. Steichen has faced some QB adversity before, but this one might be too difficult to overcome. Besides, it might behoove the Colts to be this bad and secure a top pick in April’s draft. Who knows, it might just be another QB.
Next up: 
Detroit Lions
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