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Stephen Holder
INDIANAPOLIS — With Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in flux following Tuesday’s decision to name Daniel Jones the team’s starting quarterback, Richardson’s agent reacted with disappointment in the move and said he’s unsure of his client’s future with the club.
The agent, Deiric Jackson, stopped short of demanding a trade, but he wondered aloud whether coach Shane Steichen’s quarterback decision might have been predetermined when the Colts signed Jones in March to a one-year, $14 million contract.
“We have a lot to discuss,” Jackson told ESPN of his impending conversations with the Colts.
Jackson said he believes Tuesday’s decision and some previous situations involving Richardson have damaged the team’s credibility. Richardson was benched for two games last season, with Steichen saying at the time that he needed to improve his game preparation. The team quickly re-inserted the 2023 fourth-overall draft pick into the starting lineup after suffering two straight losses with veteran Joe Flacco under center.
“Trust is a big factor and that is, at best, questionable, right now,” Jackson said. “Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp.”
Earlier Tuesday, Richardson said there were “no hard feelings” after Steichen’s decision.
“[Steichen] made a decision,” he said. “That’s the decision we’ve got to live with, but no hard feelings, nothing personal. I’ve just got to keep growing. I just can’t let me not being a starter stop me from going and being the person, the player that I’m supposed to be.”
The Colts’ organizational position in recent months has been that Richardson still has a future in Indianapolis, no matter the outcome of the quarterback battle. Coaches said they saw marked improvement in Richardson’s technique and accuracy during camp, seeing it as a response to the competitive situation created by Jones’ signing.
Jackson reiterated his belief that Richardson’s playmaking ability makes him a viable quarterback in the league, something he believes was proven when Richardson led two late-season game-winning drives in the final minutes.
“When they needed a big play last year,” Jackson said, “whose hands did they put the ball in? Anthony’s.”
