Colts camp takeaways: After slow start, Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones finally heating up

New York Times

4 days ago

WESTFIELD, Ind. — Shane Steichen couldn't contain his excitement. Not after that throw. The Indianapolis Colts coach, just like the fans in the stands Monday at Grand Park, shouted his approval of a Daniel Jones strike to tight end Will Mallory on a crossing route near the sideline during an 11-on-11 drill. There was pressure in the quarterback's face as he surveyed the field, but undeterred, Jones stepped up in the pocket and layered a perfect throw to Mallory for about a 20-yard gain.
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'Great pass!' Steichen yelled. 'GREAT PASS!'
That play summed up the Colts' first padded practice, with the offense finally gaining the upper hand on what had been a defense-dominated start to training camp. Jones and Anthony Richardson each delivered arguably their best day of camp while picking apart the Colts' revamped defense with their arms and legs.
A few plays before Jones' dart to Mallory, Richardson submitted his own bid for the best play of camp. The third-year pro lofted a deep shot to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in 11-on-11 that was placed perfectly between the cornerback and safety. The best part about Richardson's and Jones' throws? They weren't necessarily the easy ones. Both QBs threw their receivers open by delivering the ball with anticipation and conviction.
'You gotta make these tight-window throws in this league,' Steichen said. 'That accuracy and how to layer the ball and how to know when to throw it and how to throw it is big, obviously, (when executing) versus zone coverage or man coverage. … They did a good job of that.'
Richardson finished Monday a perfect 6-of-6 passing in 11-on-11, highlighted by his deep shot to Pittman and another feathery throw to Mallory for a first down. Jones finished 4-of-5 passing in 11-on-11, including his dime to Mallory and a laser across the middle to wide receiver Ashton Dulin for another first down. Jones' only incompletion was a drop by Pittman over the middle.
Steichen was encouraged by the consistency his QBs displayed Monday as their position battle continues. The coach said he doesn't have a specific timeline of when he'd like to name a starter, and the plan for now is for both passers to continue splitting the first-team reps.
'I want to let this thing play out,' Steichen said.
#Colts camp Day 5 recap! pic.twitter.com/5vGcKHy3Ig
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 28, 2025
Braden Smith spoke to the media Monday for the first time since returning to the field after missing the final five games of the 2024 due to religious scrupulosity, which is a form of obsessive compulsive disorder. Smith detailed his recovery in The Indianapolis Star and said Monday that he's in a 'spectacular place' mentally and physically.
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During camp last year, Smith said, he was just hoping he'd still be alive in a year.
'I was just trying to find joy in life, and for a while there, it didn't feel like I was ever gonna find that again,' Smith said Monday. 'So, just being out here is a plus for me.'
Smith said his issues came to a head the day before Thanksgiving last year. He drove to the Colts facility with the intention of joining his teammates inside, but he never made it out of his car in the parking lot because he was overwhelmed by his OCD. After going home and not feeling much better, Smith said he returned to the team facility the next day and told his teammates he needed to step away. The Colts placed Smith on the reserve/non-football illness list for the final four games of the 2024 campaign, and although Indianapolis did not have to pay his salary because of this distinction, the team did so anyway as he recovered.
Smith said he's grateful to play for a franchise that's often at the forefront of mental health conversations. The Colts started the 'Kicking the Stigma' campaign in 2020 with the goal of raising money and awareness about mental health disorders.
'It's great that we do have a platform to talk about it … especially with me, the thing I was going through, it seems very taboo,' Smith said. 'You seem like you're kind of going crazy, and I know other people are going through the same thing. So, I want them to feel empowered hearing about my story, seeing that I came out on the other side of it.'
Smith is entering the final year of a four-year, $70 million extension he inked in July 2020. The Colts could've released him this offseason and created $16.8 million in cap space, but Smith opted to restructure his deal. Smith's cap hit for the 2025 campaign has now been lowered from $19.8 million to $10.4 million, per Over The Cap.
JuJu Brents, a 2023 second-round pick, has been limited to 11 games over his first two years due to various injuries. The 25-year-old has fallen down the depth chart while being sidelined, and he faces a steep challenge to carve out playing time in a crowded cornerback room. Standout rookie Justin Walley has already appeared to leapfrog Brents and 2023 seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones, who started 17 games last year, as the team's third starting cornerback. Walley has received most of the first-string reps alongside veterans Charvarius Ward and Kenny Moore II.
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Despite the Colts' revamped cornerback room, Brents isn't conceding anything. He said he worked his 'ass off' this offseason to return fully healthy and give himself a chance to be a catalyst in new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's unit. So far, Brents' relentlessness has paid off with a handful of pass breakups during one-on-one and 11-on-11 drills.
'I like the scheme. I think it's an aggressive type of scheme,' Brents said of playing for Anarumo. 'It allows me to use my strengths … to get up in guys' faces, use my length to my advantage, get some hands on them. But then also, being able to throw some different looks at the receivers (and) the quarterbacks.'
If Brents continues to thrive— and stay healthy — he could force the Colts into having to make some hard decisions about play time. That's surely a 'problem' they'd like to have.