Colts' Shane Steichen 'Very Close' to Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones QB1 Decision

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Saturday he's "very close" to making a decision in the quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.

"I'd like to have a decision here shortly," he added.

Richardson has had a solid training camp, with ESPN's Stephen Holder reporting that the young quarterback has made "significant strides in the areas where he's struggled most, like his short and intermediate accuracy and relatedly, his once-sloppy footwork," and has also "completed numerous throws against tight coverage that had teammates and coaches buzzing."

He's also made better decisions throughout training camp, but his consistency remains an issue, and he left himself exposed to a huge hit in the preseason matchup against the Baltimore Ravens when he misread a blitz, dislocating the pinkie on his throwing hand in the process.

Jones, meanwhile, has been more accurate in the short and intermediate game than Richardson, but Holder noted he's still learning the ropes when it comes to Indy's offense and has struggled pushing the ball deeper downfield.

"These guys are both good players that have played good football in this league, and we expected them to come out and compete really, really hard," offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter told reporters. "We expected competition to bring out the best in both of them, and that's what we're seeing."

Richardson's rushing ability and powerful arm give him far more upside, but his inaccuracy and decision-making in the past are why the Colts added Jones in the first place. Jones, meanwhile, was run out of New York and is a pretty mediocre option at the position, though he may steer a steadier ship than Richardson.

The Colts probably would have preferred if either Richardson or Jones seized the starting role without question this summer. That clearly hasn't happened, but the positive is that neither has been so bad that they've removed themselves from contention, either.

But with training camp now over, it's time for a decision from Steichen.