This was the outcome the Colts had in mind when they made the difficult decision to shut down Richardson after one month of remarkably promising play in order for him to undergo surgery. The eye was always on the future, and after grinding out the last six and a half months, Richardson is, as Steichen said, in a great place.
Great for April, that is. If the Colts had to play a game today — well, let’s just say it’s good that the truly taxing portion doesn’t arrive for a few months.
“Oh, yeah. That’s true,” Steichen said when asked if he’d have to hold Richardson back from exerting himself too much in workouts. “I mean, he’s a competitor. I think most guys that are competitors that want to be great are gonna want to push themselves, but again, we’re just going to have to monitor it, and we’ll go from there.”
Still, it’s great to have Richardson available to participate with his teammates, especially after surgery relegated him to the background, where he was forced to watch them battle for a playoff spot through the final week of the season. Plus, while the Colts go through the basics — including, as Steichen said Tuesday, assembling a huddle — Richardson is able to get into the rhythm of mental preparation a month before he first got his feet wet with Indianapolis last year.
“It’s big. It’s not new for him, right?” Steichen said. “He’s heard the terminology, going through those meetings right now. Just going through it and quizzing, and he’s all over it, so he’s got a good foundation going into this offseason and going into the season, so it’s been good.”
Despite Richardson’s shoulder injury, it became clear in just one month how bright the Colts’ future is with Richardson as their centerpiece. They’ll resume their journey with their franchise quarterback now, with the hopes he’s sailing smoothly by the time the regular season arrives.