Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson will use a portion of his time off during this quiet stretch before training camp begins to get into a groove with his wide receivers.
At some point in the coming weeks, Richardson said that he and members of the Colts’ receiver room, including Michael Pittman, will get together for a “second minicamp.”
“Yeah, for sure,” said Richardson when asked about getting together with the Colts’ receivers. “That’s kind of like a mandatory second minicamp for us. Just to get back in a groove before training camp starts. Just get ready for the season.”
This additional time together will provide Richardson and his pass-catchers with valuable reps, helping them get on the same page from both a route running and timing perspective. It’s also a great opportunity to bond away from the team facility.
Although Richardson is entering his second season, relatively speaking, he’s had limited reps with his receivers after attempting only 84 pass attempts as a rookie, with his season being cut short due to injury.
This won’t be the first time that Richardson and the Colts’ receivers got together. Last year, the same type of get-together was orchestrated, with everyone meeting up in Florida. This year’s location was still to be determined during minicamp.
“Last year, we did Florida,” Richardson said. “This year, kind of leaving it up to Pit. I’m trying not to be too stingy with where I wanna go, just being open for the team.”
Richardson would miss the final minicamp practice in order to give his shoulder a rest as he still has some days where it can feel a bit sore. However, both he and Shane Steichen were adamant that this was nothing more than a day off.
The Colts’ ceiling this season, both on offense and as a team, will likely be determined by Richardson’s level of play. Last season we saw growth taking place and his playmaking abilities on display. But, like any inexperienced player, there is likely still a learning curve that will have to be navigated.
With that said, it’s not as if Richardson has to do it all on his own, either. He has a top offensive line unit in front of him, talented skill position players around him with added playmaking this season, and Shane Steichen’s offense that can help with some of the heavy lifting.
“This whole little period we’ve had since April, just being here, it’s been amazing,” said Richardson of the offseason programs. “I’ve been excited since Day 1, just being back on the field, even just putting my helmet back on.
“Everything that I did between these two months has been a blessing. We’ve been putting in work. I’ve been putting in a lot of work. So I’m feeling real good about it.”