Colts QB Richardson downplays shoulder injury

WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Any concerns that Anthony Richardson Sr.'s offseason shoulder issue might impact the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback battle were put to rest during Wednesday's first practice of training camp, as Richardson took a majority of the full-team snaps with the starting offense with no limitations.

Richardson, speaking to local media for the first time since he missed the final two weeks of offseason practices with right shoulder soreness -- 19 months after a season-ending surgery in 2023 -- viewed the issue as minor and suggested the discomfort was mild.

"They told me I had to sit down a few weeks, and I was like, 'Man, I can go right now,'" Richardson recounted Wednesday, referring to his reaction to the team's medical staff shutting down his offseason work early last month. "I just had to listen to the team, just take their advice from the medical team, take the advice from my trainer and just prepare myself for the upcoming season."

The prescribed rest had its intended effect and Richardson on Wednesday embarked upon the next stage of this quarterback battle with veteran Daniel Jones, who was signed in March to a one-year $14 million contract.

"Whenever we did start throwing, it was just back like [a] normal schedule," Richardson said. "It wasn't anything major, anything different. Just rest my arm."

Coach Shane Steichen said he met with both quarterbacks Tuesday to lay out a plan for the next few weeks. Steichen said there was no timetable for a decision on naming a starter and again emphasized what he said will be the deciding factor.

"The consistency of the operation," he said. "Just moving the ball up and down the field. No timetable on this thing. Let those guys compete, let the process play out and we'll go from there."

Both players will get snaps with the starting offense each day of practice, according to Steichen. On Wednesday, Richardson was afforded more first-team snaps than Jones, but Steichen said the extra first-team snaps will go to Jones on Thursday. The plan is to alternate in that manner moving forward. Richardson will take fewer snaps in individual periods of practice as he starts camp on a bit of a pitch count, Steichen said, thereby allowing him to save more throws for full-team periods.

It wasn't exactly a masterpiece for either player on Day 1, with Richardson completing 4 of 11 passes in full team work on a day he was plagued by numerous dropped passes. Jones was 6 of 8 but was intercepted by cornerback Kenny Moore II on what Jones described as a late throw to receiver Josh Downs on the perimeter.

"I think like any Day 1," Jones said, "you're getting started. Some good, some bad."