Overview
- Head coach Shane Steichen announced Tuesday that Richardson will start and play the first quarter, Riley Leonard will play the second quarter, and Easton Stick will play the second half, while most starters will have only short, controlled series and Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor will not play.
- Coaches will use Saturday’s performance and detailed film review as the last major data points before the Aug. 30 53-man cutdown to decide the QB2 spot between Richardson and Leonard.
- Richardson requested a trade this offseason but the Colts’ front office signaled it will not ‘give him away,’ and the team’s willingness to carry three playable quarterbacks is shaping trade leverage and roster math.
- Tight end Tyler Warren is being rested with a groin issue and is unlikely to play in the finale, and the kicking competition between Blake Grupe and Spencer Shrader remains unresolved and could be influenced by the final preseason snaps.
- The Colts are balancing player health and evaluation by limiting starter reps and focusing coaches’ grading on decision-making, timing and accuracy, which will determine both roster roles and whether Richardson’s final audition moves his career toward staying, backing up or being traded.