Ex-Colts DB gives honest thoughts on Anthony Richardson's NFL debut - "There will be some struggles this year"
Indianapolis Colts fans got their first taste of life with Anthony Richardson in the first preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. He showed some of his talent, but also the things he will need to work on in the 23-19 loss on Saturday.
Being a rookie, there will be a steep learning curve for Richardson, but he displayed enough to suggest that the Colts will be able to win their fair share of games this season.
His performance also caught the eye of former Colts defensive back Darius Butler.
On the "Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams," Butler said:
“Definitely still passed the eye test. I expected some type of struggles obviously, being a rookie quarterback. Didn’t play a ton, even in college, so there will be some growing pains, but he has that athletic ability to extend plays and make plays. He made some great throws, honestly, in that game.
“He definitely passed the eye test. There will be some struggles this year, but I think we will still be good enough to win at least eight, nine games in the AFC South.”
What are the expectations for Anthony Richardson in rookie season?
For many, a lot of what we can expect Anthony Richardson can do in his rookie season will be predicated on star running back Jonathan Taylor being his No. 1 running back.
It doesn't look like that will be the case. But against the Bills, Richardson showed his capacity as a runner, so the Taylor absence might be alleviated slightly.
Obviously, having Taylor would be a better option, but nonetheless, Richardson himself is a running back at times.
With Butler stating that the Colts could win eight or nine games this season, that certainly is a high bar to reach, but one that he feels the Colts with Richardson can make.
There will be ups and downs for Richardson in his rookie season, but one thing is for certain, he will be must-watch TV in 2023.
If you use any of the above quotes, please quote "The Up & Adams Show" and Darius Bulter and H/T Sportskeeda.