Bengals Defenders Taunt Anthony Richardson For Scrambling In Joint Practice

Cincinnati Bengals defenders had a field day launching verbal taunts at Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson during a joint practice Wednesday. Richardson threw an interception during 11-on-11 drills and repeatedly resorted to scrambling.

“Is that all he does is run?” Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt yelled at Colts fans watching the practice.

Richardson, who is coming off an injury-riddled rookie season in Indianapolis, is widely expected to be a playmaker for the team in his sophomore outing. In many ways, his performance Wednesday backed this up, as he found rookie receiver Adonai Mitchell in traffic for a touchdown and excelled in a two-minute drill.

At other times though, he obviously struggled to find open targets and had one passed intercepted off a deflection. It was a mixed showing, emblematic of Richardson’s NFL career so far in many ways. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said that working with other teams will be a valuable resource for the young passer.

“I think it’ll be really good for [Richardson],” Steichen said of joint practices this week. “Any time you can get out there in those game-like situations, it’s good. Obviously, you want to be smart with these guys in the preseason because we’ve got a long season ahead of us, but we’re excited to get those guys out there.”

In 2023, Richardson was a marvel when he appeared on the field, finding success in the air as well as on the ground. Unlike many running quarterbacks, Richardson is 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, which many thought would keep him healthy. Despite his size, however, he had trouble protecting himself, sustaining multiple head injuries and a season-ending shoulder injury in the span of four weeks.

Based on his athleticism alone, Richardson may prove to be a revelatory franchise player for the Colts. Some have already designated him in that role despite his brief appearances to this point. The Bengals may taunt him now, but if Richardson can stay healthy and prolong the flashes of brilliance he has shown thus far, he may be the one getting the last laugh.