Jones hasn't gotten the credit Ballard believes he deserves.
Chris Ballard believes Daniel Jones is being overlooked originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback competition has been under heavy scrutiny all offseason. Even with the team deciding to go with Daniel Jones as their starter due to his more predictable floor as a passer, Anthony Richardson Sr. being benched has been the more popular talking point.
General manager Chris Ballard acknowledged the intrigue of Richardson’s story, especially since he’s now been benched twice in his career. Still, Ballard doesn’t think Jones is getting the credit he deserves, saying he’s being “overshadowed.”
“I don’t want to dismiss that Daniel has had a good run,” he said.
Ballard compared Jones to former NFL quarterback Alex Smith, who he worked with in his time with the Chiefs, calling both “ the ultimate professional.”
“Day in and day out, the team knew exactly what they were getting,” he said. “I feel like it’s kind of the same thing with (Jones).”
Ultimately, the Colts are in a situation where they can’t afford to have unpredictability from their starting signal caller. That’s why Jones was named the starter, he provides a more stable floor.
Richardson offers a significantly higher ceiling since he’s significantly more talented, but that talent is still nothing more than potential at this point.
If Indy can get a similar performance from Jones to his 2022 season, in which he brought the Giants to the playoffs, then the Colts believe their roster around him is good enough to take them to the postseason, too.
Ballard’s comments are a reminder that while it’s easy to focus on the negative aspect of the quarterback battle given the expectations Richardson carries, Jones is just as deserving of some uplifting that he’s rightly earned.
Category: Football
