The Ravens may have walked away with a 24-16 win over the Colts, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for either side. Well, it was worse for Shane Steichen and co. due to concerning injuries. Since it’s the preseason, the last thing any team wants is to make headlines for injuries. Unfortunately, the Colts are gaining attention for exactly this.

Early in the game, starting quarterback Anthony Richardson got injured and had to leave the game earlier than he may have expected. Ultimately, it didn’t go well for the team. Several Colts players are struggling with injuries. Liam Anderson, Salvon Ahmed, and JT Tuimolou were all sidelined due to injuries. As if it’s not frustrating enough, coach Shane Steichen’s latest update about another player only added to the concern.

During the post-game presser, Steichin confirmed the upsetting news after the game that rookie cornerback Justin Walley tore his ACL and will miss the entire season. As Adam Schefter reported, “Colts HC Shane Steichen said rookie third-round pick Justin Walley, who was challenging to start at cornerback, suffered a season-ending torn ACL.“

The third-round pick, who was on track to start opposite Charvarius Ward, may have gotten hurt in joint practice with the Ravens. He left early that day with a knee injury and didn’t even gear up to play on August 7. It was at the joint practice when things went south for Justin. It’s a tough loss for both the Colts’ secondary and for Walley himself, who was quite impressive at the training camp playing alongside Kenny Moore II and Ward. “Huge blow. I think he was having a hell of a camp. His man coverage skills were great, he was making a ton of plays in practice too before it happened,” Steichen said.

In Walley’s absence, the team will likely turn to JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones to step up in his place. However, both Brents and Jones are coming off hamstring injuries after having missed a few practices in the past. Early in August, Steinchen didn’t have a schedule for the players’ return. The franchise had even signed Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley to fill the gaps. The coach had even shared that Jones’ injury might have been a little more serious than Brents’. But the latter has struggled with his injuries throughout the last three years.

“I think Jaylon’s is a little more severe than JuJu’s. But I don’t have a timetable on their return,” he told Indystar. The third-round pick from Minnesota was one of the biggest surprises of the offseason. Known for his versatility, he quickly caught the coaches’ attention by grabbing several interceptions in offseason practices. His injury is a big blow to the position the Colts had worked hard to improve with new talent this offseason.

Anthony Richardson’s unexpected injury took him down

For Shane Steichen’s Colts, the preseason should be about finding rhythm, not racking up injuries. But here we are again with yet another painful chapter in Richardson’s career. The third-year quarterback was sacked by David Ojabo early in the first quarter and was seen clutching his hand as he got up. They ruled him out due to a finger injury. After the game, Richardson also spoke about what had happened at the game.

It’s becoming a troubling trend for Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. An AC joint sprain that required surgery cut his rookie season short, just four games in. In 2024, he missed time again. This time with an oblique injury. Moreover, the team eventually benched him for Joe Flacco after struggling with accuracy and consistency.

Richardson finished with 1,814 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, plus 499 rushing yards and six scores. But his inability to stay healthy or string together strong performances pushed the Colts to sign veteran Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million deal to compete for the starting job.

The latest setback—a finger injury—only adds to the concern. While it may not be serious, Richardson will need to elevate his play and stay on the field if he wants to win the QB battle.