How Colts rookie Riley Leonard fared in preseason debut as QB battle heats up

It was a rollercoaster night for all of the Colts’ quarterbacks — including rookie sixth-round pick Riley Leonard.

The Notre Dame product got his first taste of NFL action Thursday in the Colts’ 24-16 preseason loss to the Ravens, entering the exhibition game after Anthony Richardson exited early due to a dislocated pinkie finger and Daniel Jones delivered an up-and-down performance in the first half.

Leonard completed 12 of his 24 passes for 92 yards while throwing one interception. He also scrambled for 34 yards and led the Colts to a touchdown on his second possession.

With the Colts set to resume preseason action next Saturday against the Packers, it remains to be seen how coach Shane Steichen will divvy the workload following the injury to Richardson.

“He’s doing all right,” Steichen said, according to the Colts’ website. “It’s a dislocation. They popped it back in. Let’s see how it goes.”

Richardson, the Colts’ fourth overall pick in 2023, is fighting for the starting job against Jones, the ex-Giant who signed a one-year deal with the team in free agency.

The quarterback, 23, sustained the injury just eight minutes into the first half after taking a hit from Ravens linebacker David Ojabo.

“He hit me, then I was trying to make sure I had the ball, and I just looked down, I see my finger in a different direction. I’m like, maybe I’m tripping. I looked at it again, and it was definitely like that. So I’m like, I need to get this thing popped back in place and I’m good,” Richardson said afterward.

Enter Jones, 28, who went 10 for 21 for 144 yards sans an interception or touchdown.

“Some good, some bad. Caught a rhythm there I think at points, and we were moving the ball well, executing, but a couple things here and there kept us from getting in the end zone,” Jones said of his showing Thursday.

The Colts received an encouraging update Friday when ESPN reported Richardson could be back at practice as soon as Saturday. The X-rays he had taken on Thursday at halftime were negative.

The Colts and their yet-to-be-named QB1 will face the Dolphins in Week 1 on Sept. 7.