The Colts on Wednesday placed quarterback Anthony Richardson on injured reserve, which will keep the 2023 No. 4 overall pick out for at least the next four games.
Richardson sustained an AC joint injury to his right (throwing) shoulder during the second quarter of the Colts' Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The rookie will now miss, at a minimum, games at the Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 6), Cleveland Browns (Week 7), New Orleans Saints (Week 8) and Carolina Panthers (Week 9). Per IR rules, the earliest Richardson could be activated is the Colts' Week 10 game against the New England Patriots in Frankfurt, Germany. The Colts have a bye in Week 11.
Veteran Gardner Minshew will step in for Richardson beginning with this weekend's AFC South tilt against the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. The Colts are 3-0 in games Minshew either starts (Week 3) or plays significant snaps (Weeks 2, 5).
"It's tough when a guy gets dinged up like (Richardson's) been dinged up," head coach Shane Steichen said Monday. "He's obviously a very, very talented player, and it's tough. But we have a lot of faith in Gardner, too, to step in and go operate the way he's been doing."
Additionally, the Colts on Wednesday elevated guard Ike Boettger to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, released wide receiver Juwann Winfree from the practice squad and signed wide receiver Anthony Miller and quarterback Kellen Mond to the practice squad.
Boettger has appeared in two games for the Colts this season. The veteran spent the last five seasons (2018-2022) with the Buffalo Bills, appearing in 34 games (17 starts).
Miller, a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has 140 receptions for 1,589 yards with 12 touchdowns over 50 career games with the Chicago Bears (2018-2020), Houston Texans (2021) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2021).
Mond, the No. 66 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has spent time with the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.
