Jones as QB1 Reveals Organizational Failure for Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have their starting quarterback, with head coach Shane Steichen naming Daniel Jones as QB1 for the entire season.

According to WISH-TV Colts Insider Kevin Bowen, Jones' consistency in managing the offense was a key factor in Steichen's decision. "Manage the operation," Bowen said. "(There's) more pressure on Shane Steichen and the skill players around him, but again, who do you trust more? I think that's why Steichen went with Daniel Jones."

Bowen expects to see a little different kind of offense from the Colts with Jones under center. "Think of a point guard trying to get others involved," Bowen said. "Obviously, you've improved your pass-catching group, Tyler Warren being a huge part of that… Certainly rely on Jonathan Taylor in that run game. You're hoping for defensive improvement on the other side of the ball. You add up all of that, if you can stay away from turnovers, can you get to eight or nine wins? I think that is what Shane Steichen is thinking of. We've got a lot of talent around him, more supporting cast than Daniel Jones had with the Giants. Now the question is, how does all that work here over 17 games?"

Bowen didn't hold back on how the Colts have handled the last two years since drafting Anthony Richardson fourth overall in 2023. "Let's just call it what it is," Bowen said. "Two and a half years into it, the Anthony Richardson experiment has been an organizational failure. This dates back to the evaluation process at Florida. You misevaluated him coming out of the draft, and then the developmental process, which Shane Steichen is a huge part of, from coaching staff on down, including Richardson, has also been a failure."

"No quarterback going into year three in the NFL, drafted in the top five, is supposed to be on the sidelines with an earpiece in, holding a Microsoft Surface on game days… So big picture, it's a failure and Steichen is a huge, huge part of it," Bowen said.

Bowen argues that Jones isn't the answer for success in the long-term. "In the AFC, you've got to have a guy at that position, not just a Band-Aid. You need to have a legit franchise quarterback," Bowen said. "The AFC is littered with them right now, and they're all pretty young, too. And I think that is the frustrating part."

Bowen believes that letting Richardson continue to play himself out would have been the better option for the organization.

"Maybe you get an answer on him if you play him this season. Now, it's quarterback purgatory again for this franchise," Bowen said.