Success for whoever the Indianapolis Colts' quarterback is starts with this

Regardless of who ends up being the Indianapolis Colts' starting quarterback this season, the offensive line unit has to consistently provide that player with time in the pocket.

Now, to state the obvious, we know that time in the pocket for the quarterback is valuable for any passer. However, when it comes to Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson, it is a must.

Out of 44 eligible quarterbacks last season, Richardson ranked 44th in completion rate when under pressure, completing just 37.4% of his passes. Jones would rank 30th in completion rate when under duress, completing only 44.3% of his throws.

Richardson was also 41st in passer rating while Jones was 33rd, according to PFF.

Of course, any quarterback is going to be more efficient when throwing from a clean pocket versus not, where they aren't under pressure and are able to go through their reads. But for added context, Jones' completion rate when not pressured jumped to 72%, and Richardson's to 53%.

Again, none of this is groundbreaking information, but it goes to show the importance of the Colts' offensive line playing well this season. And unlike last season, that unit enters 2025 with some unknowns, with the Colts presumably relying on two relatively inexperienced players in Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini.

In addition to the passing game component, the offensive line providing a strong run game to lean on will be a must as well. Doing so keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Success for Colts' Richardson or Jones at QB starts with this