What’s Zaire Franklin, linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts, opinion on the quarterback rivalry between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones?
During a recent appearance on Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, Franklin was questioned about the inclusion of Jones in the Colts’ quarterback group.
“I have affection for Anthony,” Franklin stated. Clearly, sharing the experience with him in the thick of things, during both the highs and lows of last season, was challenging, but undoubtedly, I was there to support him and his development.
“However, I believe that with the shift in how we’ve observed certain quarterbacks, selected very early in the draft, adapt to new environments and thrive.” You observe Geno Smith, you observe Sam Darnold, and the roster continues with these various players who enter a different environment—Baker Mayfield—and they can, with a new perspective and different circumstances, achieve success and perform in line with the expectations of their draft position.
Following the announcement that the Colts were signing Jones, Tom Pelissero had a conversation with Richardson’s agent, Deiric Jackson, who stated, “AR will be prepared to go.” Richardson also discussed after the season the importance of welcoming any competition that came his way.
Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen have both expressed their belief that the competition can assist Richardson in improving his performance, and I’m certain that’s the internal expectation. The Colts hope that Richardson will become the starter, but due to his inconsistent performance so far, they can’t rely on that at the moment, which is why they added Jones.
Following his time on the bench last season, Richardson showed positive growth, and his performance enhanced after he rejoined the starting lineup, including orchestrating two fourth-quarter comebacks. Together with Ballard and Steichen, Franklin likewise thinks that competition can be beneficial.
Clearly, (Chris) Ballard placed significant importance on fostering competition, which helped me excel and enhanced my career. When I joined Darius Leonard, Bobby Okereke, Anthony Walker, EJ Speed, and the others, they improved my game every single day.
“I gained a lot of knowledge from their game, and they gained from me.” I believe it contributed to our success as we managed to grow together. Competition will benefit everyone. Clearly, I continue to love Anthony and still have faith in him, but I recognize that Daniel Jones will also help improve that situation.
Similar to Smith, Darnold, and Mayfield previously mentioned, Jones aims to achieve success at a different location.
Prior to his release from the New York Giants, Jones had achieved a completion rate of 63% on his passes, marking his lowest figure since the 2020 season. He averaged only 6.1 yards per attempt—placing him 39th among 44 quarterbacks—and Jones threw eight touchdowns against seven interceptions, as per PFF.
He concluded the 2024 season with Minnesota, participating in both the practice squad and the 53-man roster.
Beta feature