Daniel Jones Reportedly 'Very Sharp' at Colts Minicamp amid Anthony Richardson Injury

If the Indianapolis Colts want Daniel Jones to take control of their starting quarterback position this offseason, the early returns from mandatory minicamp appear to be good news for the team.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on SportsCenter (starts at 1:05 mark), Jones was said to be "very sharp" and a "fast processor" at the line of scrimmage during his reps at minicamp this week.

Jones definitely seems to have a leg up in the competition right now. Anthony Richardson has been dealing with a shoulder injury that prevented him from participating in minicamp, but he is expected to be back on the field when training camp begins.

Head coach Shane Steichen has been effusive in his praise for Jones throughout the offseason. He told reporters on Thursday that Jones has "been doing a helluva job" with the offense.

"Really smart football player," Steichen added. "Learned the offense very quickly, making really good decisions out there through OTAs.  Obviously, we want to carry that over to training camp, but he’s done a really good job. Great command in the huddle. Ultimate pro."

The Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract in free agency to provide competition and insurance for Richardson in case the third-year quarterback didn't take a step forward coming off a rough season in 2024.

Jones isn't exactly a steady hand at quarterback, but he has achieved a level of success in the NFL that Richardson has not yet found. The 28-year-old has thrown for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns and completed 64.1 percent of his attempts in 70 games over the past six seasons.

Indianapolis is hoping to take a step forward in 2025 coming off a 17-17 record in Steichen's first two seasons. The Colts haven't made the playoffs since 2020, their longest drought since a seven-year run from 1988 to '94.