Riley Leonard called Anthony Richardson Sr. “a great friend of mine” on Sunday. That’s easy to say. What’s harder is what comes next: one of them is losing a job battle that’s now stretched across an entire training camp, and Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard may not force a decision either way.
Leonard, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame in the 2025 draft, addressed the competition for the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Daniel Jones during a session with reporters, according to ClutchPoints via Yahoo Sports. “First and foremost, very grateful for the situation that I’m in. Obviously, later-round-pick guy, competing for the (No.) 2 job right now with Anthony (Richardson Sr.), who’s honestly a great friend of mine at this point,” Leonard said, in video posted to X by reporter James Boyd. “Just an awesome opportunity. Everyday I get out on the field I’m super grateful.”
#Colts QB Riley Leonard:
“First and foremost, very grateful for the situation that I’m in. Obviously, later-round-pick guy, competing for the (No.) 2 job right now with Anthony (Richardson Sr.), who’s honestly a great friend of mine at this point. …” pic.twitter.com/ZMi1OvLGLd
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 9, 2026
Richardson, who has spent the offseason trying to force his way out of Indianapolis while simultaneously fighting to stay on the field, offered a more clinical self-assessment after Sunday’s practice. “Sometimes I don’t throw the best ball, but I feel like my decision-making is pretty good so far in camp,” he said. “It’s not my best camp. But it’s not my worst camp. I’m just trying to keep progressing.”
Why the Colts aren’t rushing this
What separates this from a typical backup competition is that Indianapolis doesn’t appear to need a winner. Ballard told reporters this week that his intention is to carry all three quarterbacks — Jones, Leonard and Richardson — when the roster gets trimmed to 53 players on Aug. 30, according to both ESPN and the team’s own site. Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter put the competition itself in blunter terms, saying it’s “neck and neck right now.” Head coach Shane Steichen has framed the tiebreaker in one word: consistency. “The guy that’s most consistent is going to win that job,” Steichen told reporters, adding that both quarterbacks have shown “flashes” but still have “work to be done.”
That’s a notable shift from where things stood entering camp. Multiple beat reporters, including NBC Sports’ relay of Colts Roundtable reporting, have described Leonard as the practice favorite so far, crediting him with cleaner footwork in Steichen’s scheme while Richardson has battled inconsistent snaps and timing issues. Yet the Colts’ own roster math suggests Leonard “winning” the job may not cost Richardson his roster spot at all — a wrinkle a single presser quote wouldn’t reveal on its own.
The Richardson math behind the trade talk
Ballard’s refusal to simply move Richardson comes with real financial context. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, already collected a guaranteed $4.24 million roster bonus early in camp, according to FOX59, which leaves only his $1.145 million base salary attached in any trade — a number low enough that a quarterback-needy team could plausibly still call. But the return likely stays modest: Richardson has started just 15 of 51 possible games across three seasons, missing 29 to injury, and his 50.6% career completion rate is the worst in franchise history among quarterbacks with at least 350 attempts, per the same report. Ballard’s stance remains unchanged regardless. “We’re not just giving him away,” he said, according to ESPN.
What’s next
The QB2 competition doesn’t have the same deadline pressure as a starting job would, and neither Ballard nor Steichen has signaled urgency to settle it before rosters are finalized. Indianapolis opens the preseason Aug. 13 against the New England Patriots, followed by games against the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions — three live look at both passers before the Aug. 30 cutdown. If Leonard’s camp edge holds into those games, expect renewed trade buzz around Richardson before Week 1; if it doesn’t, the Colts may simply carry all three into the Sept. 13 opener at Baltimore and let it play out further.
