The quarterback room in Indianapolis has felt more like a revolving door than a professional sports locker room lately. If you're asking who are the colts quarterbacks right now, you're probably staring at a depth chart that looks nothing like it did two years ago. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess. Between a former first-round pick who can't seem to stay healthy and a veteran "reclamation project" who almost won MVP before tearing his Achilles, the Colts are in a weird spot.
Currently, the name at the top of the list is Daniel Jones. Yeah, that Daniel Jones. After the Giants moved on, the Colts brought him in for the 2025 season on what was essentially a "prove it" deal. And he proved it—until he didn't. He led the team to an 8-2 start, looking like a total steal, before his right Achilles gave out in December. Now, as we hit the start of 2026, he’s a free agent doing rehab, but GM Chris Ballard is already publicly saying Jones has a "bright future" in Indy. Basically, they want him back, but he’s currently an unsigned player with a major injury.
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Who Are the Colts Quarterbacks: The 2026 Roster Breakdown
So, who is actually on the roster right this second? Since the 2025 season just wrapped with a disappointing 8-9 finish, the roster is in flux. But here is the breakdown of the guys under contract or expected to be the main players this spring.
1. Riley Leonard (The Rookie Surprise)
Riley Leonard, the 2025 sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, is the "healthy" guy everyone is looking at. When Jones went down and veteran Philip Rivers (who came out of retirement for a late-season cameo) got benched, Leonard stepped in for the Week 18 finale. He’s young, he’s mobile, and honestly, he played better than a sixth-rounder has any right to.
2. Anthony Richardson (The Forgotten Fourth Overall)
This is where it gets uncomfortable. Anthony Richardson was supposed to be the "Face of the Franchise." But 2025 was a nightmare for him. He lost the starting job to Daniel Jones in training camp, and then a freak accident involving a stretching band caused an orbital fracture in his eye. He spent almost the whole year on Injured Reserve. People are already talking about trading him to the Vikings or the Steelers. He’s technically still a Colt, but for how long? Nobody knows.
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3. Seth Henigan
The Colts also have Seth Henigan on a "Futures" contract. He’s a developmental guy from Memphis who spent the 2025 season on the practice squad. He’s mostly there for camp depth, but in a room this chaotic, you can’t rule anyone out.
Why the Colts Quarterback Situation Is So Complicated
The main reason people keep asking who are the colts quarterbacks is because the team keeps changing its mind. Shane Steichen is an offensive genius—look what he did with Jalen Hurts—but he hasn't been able to settle on one guy for more than ten games.
Most fans thought Richardson would be the guy for a decade. He has the "alien" athleticism. He can throw a ball through a brick wall. But he's played very few games since high school, and the accuracy issues (47.7% completion rate at one point) drove the coaching staff crazy. Bringing in Daniel Jones was supposed to be "insurance," but Jones played so well that he effectively ended the Richardson era in Indy.
Then you have the injury factor. The Colts' season died the moment Jones tore his Achilles. They lost seven straight games to end 2025. It was brutal to watch. If they re-sign Jones, they’re betting $45 million a year on a guy coming off a career-threatening injury. If they don't, they're starting over with a rookie like Riley Leonard or drafting someone like Ty Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft.
What Really Happened with Joe Flacco?
You might still see Joe Flacco’s name associated with Indy if you’re looking at old 2024 or early 2025 stats. He’s gone. He actually moved on to the Browns and then the Bengals. As of January 2026, the 41-year-old Flacco is still looking to play "one last job," but it won't be in Indianapolis. He’s a Bengals backup now.
The Colts also briefly brought back Philip Rivers in late 2025 because things got so desperate after the Jones injury. It didn't go well. Rivers is officially an impending free agent again, and most experts expect him to go back to coaching high school ball rather than suiting up for the Colts in 2026.
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What to Watch For This Offseason
If you’re a Colts fan, the next three months are going to be stressful. Here’s the reality of the situation:
- The Daniel Jones Contract: Watch the "tags." If the Colts don't re-sign him by March, he hits the open market. His market value is around $45 million, but that Achilles injury makes every GM nervous.
- The Richardson Trade: Reports from insiders like Mike Roberts suggest the Vikings are sniffing around. If the Colts can get a third-round pick for Richardson, they might just cut their losses and move on.
- The 2026 Draft: With an 8-9 record, the Colts have a mid-round pick. They’ve been linked to Alabama’s Ty Simpson in recent mock drafts.
The question of who are the colts quarterbacks isn't just about names on a jersey; it's about a franchise trying to find its soul after Andrew Luck walked away years ago. They thought they found it with Richardson, then they thought they found it with Jones. Now, they're just hoping someone stays healthy long enough to win the AFC South.
Keep an eye on the injury reports for Daniel Jones' rehab progress. If he’s ahead of schedule, he’s your Week 1 starter. If not, get ready for the Riley Leonard era or a brand-new rookie under center.
To stay ahead of the curve, check the official Colts transaction wire every Tuesday. That’s usually when the practice squad shuffling and "Futures" signings happen, which will give you the first clue if they’re moving on from Richardson or bringing in more veteran competition.