Colts stock report: Daniel Jones fails to seize chance to separate himself in QB battle

New York Times

6 days ago

WESTFIELD, Ind. — The ball hung in the air so long that it wasn't a matter of whether the pass would be intercepted but rather who would be the one to pick it off. Indianapolis Colts free safety Cam Bynum wound up the beneficiary, easily plucking the ball out of the sky and returning it for a touchdown Saturday evening. When Bynum reached the end zone, he busted out into a choreographed celebration with the rest of the defense that featured them pretending to row a boat.
Advertisement
Normally, Colts coach Shane Steichen would've been irate at such a poor pass, except this time he was smiling, perhaps because he was the one who threw it. The 40-year-old former UNLV quarterback subbed himself into 11-on-11 drills and purposely threw an interception to inject a little fun into his team's fourth straight day of training camp practice.
'I didn't see much,' Steichen said with a grin, adding that his goal was to keep the team on its toes. 'I dropped back, had some pressure in my face, and then I just let it go, and he made a hell of a play on the ball.'
Steichen's turnover was a lighthearted way to help cap off the Colts' first week of training camp that, fittingly, favored the defense. After a small handful of practices, it's time to examine whose stock rose and fell ahead of the team's first padded practice Monday.
Aura. 📈 pic.twitter.com/kR2o9e9VMy
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) July 27, 2025
Typically, I would start with the positives, but since quarterback is the most important position in football, I chose to zero in on Indy's QB battle. Entering training camp, Jones owned a slight edge on Anthony Richardson in the Colts' QB competition since Richardson missed most of spring practice because of shoulder soreness. But early on in camp, Jones hasn't done anything to separate himself from Richardson. If anything, Jones seems to have lost ground with the QB battle about even.
Jones is 23-of-41 passing with one touchdown and one interception in 11-on-11 drills, according to my unofficial scorekeeping. Richardson, meanwhile, is 19-of-43 passing with two TDs and one INT in 11-on-11. Both have thrown an interception in seven-on-seven as well. The only day one quarterback clearly outplayed the other was Friday, when Richardson went 8-of-11 passing with a couple of first-down throws and a handful of solid checkdowns. The latter have typically hindered Richardson in the past, so that he connected on those passes was a positive sign for his development. Jones, meanwhile, finished 6-of-10 passing Friday as Indy's defensive backs were able to break up his passes.
Advertisement
Both quarterbacks regressed considerably Saturday when the team focused more on red zone work. Richardson was just 4-of-14 passing in 11-on-11 with two TDs, one on a crosser to wide receiver Alec Pierce and another on a checkdown to rookie running back D.J. Giddens, though Richardson's success was few and far between. Jones finished 5-of-14 passing, including a touchdown of his own to Pierce and a dropped TD by wideout Michael Pittman Jr. Neither quarterback has lit it up on offense, evidenced by their unofficial stats, but for Jones to win the starting job, he'll have to play a lot better. Otherwise, the Colts have no reason to start the 28-year-old Jones, who's on a one-year deal, over the 23-year-old Richardson, who was drafted to blossom into the face of the franchise.
Mitchell was clearly frustrated Saturday. The second-year receiver had beaten cornerback Jaylon Jones to the back pylon in the end zone, but the throw from Daniel Jones was too far inside and allowed Jaylon Jones to get a hand on the ball for a breakup. After that one-on-one rep, Mitchell angrily yanked off his helmet.
'Throw that s— outside!' Mitchell said as he voiced his dissatisfaction.
The irony of that moment is that when Jones did deliver a good pass to Mitchell during 11-on-11, Mitchell dropped it while running a short route in the flat. Jones came right back to Mitchell on the next play, and Mitchell dropped the ball again on a crossing route as the fans in attendance groaned. Mitchell has already tallied four drops in 11-on-11 periods through four practices, per my unofficial count. The 2024 second-round pick finally bounced back with a first-down catch off a pass from Daniel Jones, followed by a long run that would've put the Colts in the red zone. But overall, there is no denying Mitchell has delivered a lackluster camp so far.
'Guys are going to have good plays. Some guys are going to have bad plays at times,' Steichen said of Mitchell's struggles. 'We got a lot of confidence in him. He's a hell of a route runner. Everyone's development is different, so we're working through that.'
The Colts released veteran kicker Matt Gay this offseason and replaced him with Shrader, which made sense from a financial standpoint, especially since Gay's issues from distance last year made his high salary untenable. Shrader was a perfect 5-for-5 on field goal attempts last year as a rookie, but he is still an unproven player, and there's no guarantee he'll be better than (or even as good as) Gay, a 2021 Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion.
Advertisement
Shrader, who went undrafted last year, officially began his kicking competition against 2025 UDFA Maddux Trujillo on Friday. Shrader made 4-of-6 field goal attempts, but his two misses came from 50-plus yards out, which is the same area Gay struggled in during the 2024 campaign. Gay made 31-of-37 field goals last year, and all six of his misses came from 50-plus yards. Shrader, meanwhile, has never even attempted a field goal of at least 50 yards in an NFL game.
Trujillo attempted the same six field goals as Shrader on Friday. The rookie made 3-of-6, missing on a 41-yarder and the two 50-plus yarders. So, Shrader still leads what Indy special teams coordinator Brian Mason has called an 'open' kicking competition, but a few more long-distance makes would put the Colts coaching staff and front office at ease. Last year, the Colts played in eight games decided by 3 points or less.
Other fallers: WR Josh Downs has had some uncharacteristic drops throughout training camp. CB Jaylon Jones has had a few pass breakups, but he appears to have lost his starting spot to breakout rookie Justin Walley. RB Khalil Herbert hasn't done much to separate himself from Tyler Goodson in a potential RB3 role.
If the ball is in Walley's area, he is usually making a play on it. That's the ball-hawk reputation Walley has developed so far throughout spring practice and the first week of training camp. The rookie third-round pick already seems to have carved out a starting role at cornerback, whether it's playing opposite of Charvarius Ward on the outside or playing inside as a replacement for veteran Kenny Moore II, who's missed a pair of training camp practices due to rest and a sore knee.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard described Walley as 'a little pit bull,' but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with instincts and intelligence. Ward praised Walley for 'not being scared' of any challenge, and that mindset, paired with Walley's quick acclimation to new Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's schemes, has resulted in his often having the upper hand on Indy's QBs and wideouts.
Warren was a nonfactor on the first day of training camp, but that invisibility was short-lived the rest of the first week. Indy's top pick in the 2025 draft flashed his potential in a variety of ways at Grand Park, most notably as an acrobatic catcher of the football. On more than one occasion, Richardson or Jones has fired an inaccurate pass, but since it was in Warren's vicinity, it didn't really matter. The former Penn State star found a way to haul it in and keep the chains moving.
'Looking at him for the draft, something we thought was a real strength of his was his hands, his ability to focus, concentrate and make those tough catches,' Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. 'He's a very uniquely talented, uniquely skilled young man, and that's something he's done really, really well.'
Advertisement
It's still very early, but the returns on Warren are promising so far. Bynum, who's entering his fourth year as a full-time starter, even noted he can't tell Warren is a rookie. When the pads are out Monday, the slightly increased physicality could help Warren stand out even more, considering his typically bruising style of play.
😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/gPMTiaATE2
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) July 26, 2025
Pierce is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The 2022 second-round pick has shown marked improvement each season, highlighted by his NFL-leading 22.3 yards per reception last year, though it might not result in a lucrative contract extension in Indianapolis.
'I know my agents might have talked with (the team) a while back,' Pierce said. 'But I feel like on that front, I feel like it's gonna be a play-the-season-out (kind of thing).'
👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/9IKSTyCDmG
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) July 27, 2025
Pierce said he's fine with not landing an extension and having the chance to weigh his options next year. From the way he's looked at Grand Park, he'll have plenty of suitors if he hits the open market. The 25-year-old has been the Colts' most consistent receiver during camp, and so far, he's the only starting receiver to reach the end zone. Pierce said he's been working on expanding his route tree beyond just being a deep threat, and he's already made a few noteworthy plays on crossing and comeback routes that could help him carve out a bigger role in the offense.
Other risers: CB JuJu Brents has been limited to 11 games in two years due to injuries, but he's had a knack for the ball early in camp and might be creeping up the depth chart. WR Anthony Gould has made his presence felt in the slot after being primarily a punt returner last year. LB Joe Bachie has mostly been a special teamer in his career, but in the absence of starting middle linebacker Zaire Franklin (left ankle surgery), Bachie has taken advantage of his starting reps by looking sticky in pass coverage.