The Indianapolis Colts are heading into the divisional clash against the Chargers with a 5-1 record and a new backup quarterback. Anthony Richardson’s orbital fracture ruled him out of the win over the Arizona Cardinals, but now he will be ineligible to return until the Colts head to Arrowhead in Week 12. This has seen the AFC South franchise make some necessary depth chart moves.

Steichen and the Colts elevated Riley Leonard to second-string quarterback behind starter Daniel Jones. Leonard, picked at 189 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, has never played a snap in the NFL. Now, he is a play away from getting some time under center.

“Obviously, I’m one play away instead of two plays away,” Leonard said after the Cardinals game. “I don’t know if there’s something written on how you should go about that situation.” He started for the Fighting Irish last year, and no doubt, he was impressive. That one game among many in his college career was enough to make people his fans.

It was third-and-7 with under six minutes left in the Sugar Bowl, and Notre Dame was clinging to a 23-10 lead, just trying to run the clock down. Leonard knew they needed a first down to keep control. He took the snap, faked forward, then took off to the outside. A defender grabbed at him, but Leonard broke free with a stiff-arm and turned the corner.

As he neared the marker, Georgia’s Malaki Starks went low for the tackle, and Leonard launched himself right over him. He soared through the air, landed three yards past the line, then popped up holding the ball high, signaling first down. The stadium erupted. For Leonard, the small-town Alabama kid, it was a moment that felt larger than life. Now, he will be working behind Daniel Jones.

Expressing his take on this Colts’ new decision and backing up Jones, Leonard said: “I’ve learned so much from Daniel. I can be high and low sometimes. Being able to study him and how he operates (has helped me)….Nobody realizes it, but Daniel is the first in the building every single day and the last one out. You guys just won’t see it because he’s not a boastful guy. He’s such a hard worker.”

Leonard had a productive Week 3 preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals; he was 15-of-20 for 189 yards with a touchdown and had a 59-yard pass to Laquon Treadwell. He also showed some athleticism with a 14-yard rush during the Colts’ 83-yard touchdown drive. A three-scoring drive in Week 3’s preseason performance was enough to earn him the QB3 spot in the regular season behind Jones and Richardson.

In Richardson’s place, the rookie will be getting more usage in Steichen’s scheme. His ability to learn under pressure allows him to perform well in stressful situations. However, Richardson’s loss has forced offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter to alter quarterback assimilation strategies for the team.

Colts add experienced depth: Brett Rypien

Part of Leonard’s promotion is also that the Colts are building quarterback depth by adding veteran quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad, sources confirmed. Rypien, previously with the Bengals, adds much-needed veteran depth to a rebuilt QB unit that features Jones and Leonard.

“I’ve been places where you add a quarterback in the middle of a season, and he’s a veteran guy who’s been in a lot of different systems and understands football at a high rate,” said Cooter when talking about changes at QB. “And then you have to translate verbiage sometimes or translate different details of the offense.”

Rypien, 29, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State in 2019 and has been on active rosters of some of the NFL teams — Denver, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, New York Jets, Chicago, Minnesota, and Cincinnati. He has played 11 games (four starts) in his career. He’s thrown 58% of his 168 passes for 5.7 yards per attempt with four touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The former Boise State all-star signed with the Bengals late last month and was elevated to the active roster as the backup for Jake Browning when Joe Burrow had his toe surgically operated on. Rypien was let go by the team last week when the Bengals signed Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns.

For the Colts, the signing of Rypien is as much insurance as it is stability. The Colts’ decision to place Richardson on injured reserve leaves only two quarterbacks on their roster entirely healthy, and Steichen has prioritized being flexible at quarterback. Even after signing Rypien to the practice squad, Leonard will remain Jones’ immediate backup for the Colts’ next game against the Los Angeles Chargers.