WESTFIELD, Ind. – The Colts on Tuesday answered an important question: Yes, Anthony Richardson Sr. will be on the field and participating for Wednesday's curtain-lifting training camp practice.

Now for the next question.

Who will be this team's starting quarterback?

That answer is not clear here in mid-July, as Richardson and Daniel Jones embark on a high-stakes competition. At some point before the Colts open the 2025 season Sept. 7 against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium, we'll have an answer.

"I think when Shane and the staff and I and our (football operations) staff feels like there's a sure starter, then we'll move forward," general manager Chris Ballard said. "Timeline – I can't put one on it."

Between July 23 and Aug. 23, the Colts will practice 13 times at Grand Park (including a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers), have a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens in Maryland, hold a handful of practices at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center and play three preseason games, culminating with Aug. 23's preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Jones and Richardson will play in the preseason – "I think it's important that they get in the games," Ballard said – and every practice, scrimmage and game will be evaluated.

"This is when we crank up," Ballard said.

Richardson missed a handful of practices in June due to a shoulder injury, but Ballard didn't make it sound as if Jones will enter training camp ahead of the 2023 No. 4 overall pick because of it. We'll find out Wednesday exactly how head coach Shane Steichen will divide up practice snaps between Jones and Richardson, but the Colts have consistently said this will be an open competition.

Here's what Ballard, on Tuesday, had to say about Jones and Richardson.

On Jones: "Good dude, really good guy. Centered. He's been through a lot — he's seen and been in New York, and the scrutiny on being a top-10 pick is not for everybody and I thought he handled it with grace and class, like you would expect. And that's who he is. And Daniel's talented. Daniel's a very talented player."

On Richardson: "I think we need to give Anthony every chance to be the best he could be. And I think he can be really good, but things got to come together."

Ballard, on Richardson, emphasized what the 23-year-old has done in pressure situations in his young career. He pointed to Richardson leading a 23-point second half comeback against the Los Angeles Rams in 2023; a tough-as-nails showing in a win over the New York Jets in 2024; and, more narrowly, a clutch third down completion he had to Michael Pittman Jr. that sealed a win over the Tennessee Titans in 2024.

"There's been some signs in pressure moments that he can get things done," Ballard said. "Now we just gotta be able to do it all the time."

Something the Colts' quarterback competition has going for it is how similar Jones and Richardson are as quarterbacks – specifically in how they're able to use their legs as a weapon. Jones enters 2025 averaging 5.5 yards per rush in his career; Richardson's career mark is 5.7 yards per rush. Only 25 other quarterbacks in NFL history have a career average of at least 5.5 yards per attempt (minimum 100 attempts).

"I think Daniel and Anthony are similar in a lot of ways," Ballard said. "Gardner (Minshew) and Anthony were completely different, (Joe) Flacco and Anthony were completely different. I think you'll see more continuity in really all our quarterbacks now, they all have the ability to do some things with their feet. I think you'll see more of a similar offense with each guy."

For the Colts' collection of weapons, navigating a quarterback competition comes with its own set of challenges, but none that are too hard to overcome – and none that would lead Ballard, Steichen and the team's decision-makers to speed up their process in naming a starter.

"A lot of chemistry comes from just being cool with the quarterback, so I feel like that's not a hard thing to do when you've got two great guys with you," wide receiver Josh Downs said. "They're both really good players and that's just what we have to do at this point."

Eventually, we'll get an answer on who the Colts' Week 1 starting quarterback will be. The Colts will let the process play out, expecting that within it, competition will make both quarterbacks – and, by association, their team – better.

But there's also no diminishing how important the next few weeks will be for the Colts. This is a franchise that hasn't reached the playoffs since 2020. And to get back, the Colts will need more out of their quarterback position than they've had in years past.

"I think we've done some good things with the team, but at the end of the day, the one position we all know — we have to get the quarterback settled," Ballard said. "That position carries such an importance to the state of our team when you got that position solidified. He's one of 53, and it's not all about him, but he's an important piece."