Anthony Richardson exited the Indianapolis Colts' Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans with a Grade 3 AC joint sprain in his right throwing shoulder. The injury is considered "serious and significant," which led to Richardson being placed on IR this Wednesday.
The IR placement guarantees that Richardson will miss at least one month, but according to NFL.com scribe Ian Rapoport, there could be more dire consequences. Richardson is "strongly considering" season-ending surgery. The procedure has been "deemed by some" as the best option for fully healing his injured arm.
Colts' Anthony Richardson could miss entire season with right shoulder injury
That's a tough break for Richardson, whose rookie season was off to an exciting (if slightly uneven) start. The No. 4 pick out of Florida, Richardson immediately assumed starting reins for the Indianapolis offense. The 21-year-old is a tier-one athlete, blending evasive maneuverability, elite open-field speed, and remarkable arm strength. He is arguably the highest-upside prospect from the 2023 NFL Draft class.
In four appearances, Richardson went 2-2. He completed 59.5 percent of his passes (50-of-84) for 577 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He also ran for 136 yards and another four touchdowns and three fumbles.
In Richardson's absence, the Colts will turn to journeyman veteran Gardner Minshew II. Frankly, he's one of the best backups in the business. Minshew's career record isn't great (9-16), but he has completed 63.3 percent of his career passes, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt with 46 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions. He's efficient and occasionally bold, which is all you can ask for out of your QB2.
For the Colts and Richardson, the hope is that this is a minor setback for a major comeback situation. He has genuine franchise QB upside, which he flashed on more than one occasion during his injury-riddled NFL debut. Richardson has already dealt with knee soreness and a concussion, on top of the potentially season-ending shoulder malady. He will garner extra scrutiny as a "running" QB, but Richardson is a victim of bad luck — not an unsustainable play style. It's also deeply unfair to even categorize Richardson as a "running" QB; much like Lamar Jackson, it completely undersells his arm talent.
The Colts are 3-2, good enough for a first place tie in the wide-open AFC South. Minshew probably lowers Indianapolis' ceiling, but he might raise their floor on the basis of NFL experience. Corporate know-how goes a long way in this league and Minshew is not without a decent arm and a solid collection of playmakers at his disposal. With the return of Jonathan Taylor, the Colts' offense is set up for success — or at least to keep its head above water until Richardson returns with a vengeance in year two.
It's a huge bummer to see such an exciting talent hit the injury wall five weeks into his career, but Richardson should have every chance to get back to full strength as the Colts' leading man in 2024 — or sooner, if he opts to forgo surgery.
