Colts training camp notebook: Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson Sr. continue shaping the backup quarterback battle

At Westfield, Ind., the Indianapolis Colts’ backup quarterback situation remains unsettled as training camp moves into the stretch that typically clarifies roles. In a training camp notebook update published Monday, the Colts said both Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson Sr. will see playing time in the team’s preseason-game week opener on Thursday, even though the organization has not yet named a backup quarterback.

The timing matters because the preseason is where the pecking order can become visible in practice-to-game translation. For a Colts team trying to stabilize its quarterback depth, “backup quarterback” is less a label and more a function the staff has to trust: handling substitutions, maintaining protections, and running the next sequence when the starter comes out. The Colts’ decision to keep both quarterbacks active early suggests the coaching staff is still evaluating how each handles those moments.

Leonard and Richardson Sr. are part of the same battle framework but not necessarily the same type of weekly assignment. The Colts’ notebook frames their current standing as a competition that is still developing, with both quarterbacks preparing with the understanding that Thursday will provide a real-time look from the coaching staff. That is especially relevant for a team that has not set an official depth-chart answer heading into preseason week.

The Colts’ lack of a named backup quarterback also places an extra premium on how this week’s reps are managed. When the starter sits, the offense often reveals what it has to work on, and the quarterback on the field becomes the focal point. The Colts’ report indicating both quarterbacks will play implies the staff wants to compare operational differences under game conditions rather than relying exclusively on camp practice benchmarks.

Anthony Richardson Sr. and Riley Leonard each represent a different route into earning trust, but the immediate takeaway from the Colts’ published notebook is straightforward: both are in the active mix and the competition is not closed. With the preseason underway soon after, the next few opportunities will likely be more revealing than earlier camp stretches, because the margin for decision-making during live action tends to narrow quickly.

For Colts fans, the practical question is what changes once the Colts do name a backup. If one quarterback takes over a clearer role after Thursday’s work, it could influence how many drives the starter gets before halftime, how the coaching staff sequences second-unit packages, and how the team plans for the depth chart going into later preseason weeks.

What to watch next is whether the staff keeps both quarterbacks on the field in similar workloads or shifts toward a more defined pattern. If one quarterback’s Thursday performance leads to a quicker change in how practice reps and in-game substitutions are distributed, the Colts could move from an open competition to a more stable depth plan. If both continue to see comparable action, the backup quarterback race may carry deeper into the preseason than teams typically prefer.