Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Charvarius Ward was close to securing a free-agent deal with an NFL franchise that’s just a two-hour drive away from his hometown of McComb, Miss., until Ballard made one final push.
“Originally, I thought I was going to New Orleans because the deal was almost done,” Ward said last week on Indianapolis’ 107.5 The Fan. “Then the Colts, they realized how great of a player I am, and they came in and kind of beat out the Saints at the last minute
Ward, who’s spent the last three years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, never disclosed what exactly pushed Indianapolis over the top. But his contract speaks for itself: three years, $60 million with $35 million guaranteed.
That’s not how Ballard operates, at least not the old one. This new Ballard made more splashes during the first wave of free agency than in any season of his nine-year tenure in Indianapolis. Ward is the headliner, but the additions of safety Camryn Bynum and Daniel Jones were also significant signings. Of course, there are still roster needs for him to address. But now that most of the free agency dust has settled, let’s take a look at how the 2025 Colts are shaping up ahead of the NFL Draft.
Quarterback
Already here: Anthony Richardson, Jason Bean
Joining: Daniel Jones
TBD: Sam Ehlinger, Joe Flacco
2025 outlook: Ballard declared an open QB competition at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Richardson and Jones will be at the center of it. Richardson, the 2023 No. 4 pick, probably has a leg up on Jones, who signed a one-year, $14 million deal, since he’s heading into his third season in coach Shane Steichen’s offense. However, Jones should have plenty of opportunities to prove himselfwhen the first-string reps are presumably split during OTAs and training camp.
“I’ve had a lot of fun (watching) and a lot of respect for Anthony,” Jones said last week. “Watching him, I think he’s certainly a talented young player, and I think the competition aspect of it brings out the best in everybody. I think we’re both interested in helping this team win games and (doing) whatever we can do to help that happen.”
The scary part about this scenario is that neither QB feels like a good option because neither has consistently proven to be a good player. Richardson has missed 17 games due to injury through his first two seasons, and his 47.7 completion percentage in 2024 ranked last in the NFL. Jones, who did win a playoff game in 2022, was 24-44-1 in 69 regular-season starts across six years with the Giants. He hasn’t thrown more than 15 touchdown passes in a season since his rookie year in 2019.
