Anthony Richardson has no restrictions heading into training camp

The quarterback is ready to roll when training camp gets underway.

When reports out of OTA’s surfaced that Anthony Richardson was on the sidelines with trainers and was taking days off due to shoulder soreness, there was a low level alarm amongst Indianapolis Colts fans. For some, it was no big deal because soreness after surgery when throwing for the first time was to be expected. For others, it brought back painful memories and was an ominous sign of something that could turn worse. With training camp a month away, Chris Ballard is hoping to put minds at ease as he labels Richardson a “full go”.

No one hated having to take it easy more than Richardson himself, so sitting out was tough but necessary. He admitted it was part of the process. As reported by the IndyStar, all parties were in favor of caution versus full steam ahead as Richardson returned to action.

The general manager…said the team decided to lighten Richardson’s throwing load late in OTAs after heavier work on previous days.

“He’ll be full go. He was full go all the way up until the last day of OTAs,” Ballard said. “We had two heavy throwing sessions, so we backed off the last day.”

Being listed with no restrictions is a huge positive as the last thing anyone wanted to hear reported was a potential setback. Sometimes, players come back from injuries, fan’s energy blast through the roof, and then said player suffers a setback and finds themselves on the shelf for longer. Look no further than Jelani Woods for an example of what can happen. While that is good news, there may still be nagging doubts in the back of some fan’s minds. Ballard addressed that as well.

Ballard acknowledged the trepidation of Colts fans regarding quarterbacks’ shoulders, alluding to Andrew Luck’s retirement just before the start of the 2019 season.

“Anytime you talk about a shoulder in this city, there’s some scars that everybody has,” he said.

Thanks for the acknowledgement, but talk is cheap. We have heard it all regarding injured players. While I would rather hear reports of “full go” instead of “well, we will take it day-by-day,” I want to see it on the field. The proof will be in the pudding as training camp starts in just a month. Hopefully, all goes well and there are no major injuries to any players. The main hope is that Richardson can stay healthy and put together a full season. Fans can’t wait to see what he can truly do on the field. Here’s hoping he remains a “full go” for the entirety of 2024.