It's not just the QB situation, even though he absolutely deserves the criticisms for his part in botching it for over half a decade.
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And no, this wasn't getting unlucky.

First of all, they either didn't do proper due diligence or outright whistled pass the graveyard on the astounding number of red flags this guy has mentally. Like, he's open about the fact he feels he doesn't need to put the hard work in.

Second of all, they completely botched his development. How the fuck do you send him out to start his rookie season with all the issues he has both as a passer and mentally? It's just asinine.
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They coulda sat him last year for developing, that's a legit concern, but also...you get better by playing.

If guys need that much development, don't draft them that high.
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They had boxed themselves in, Ballard being so risk averse and doing things like taking a guard in the top 5 caused this to happen.

If they passed on a QB yet again they were going to be in retread hell for years and years, pretty sure they felt like they had to take the swing.
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I had always thought that but Jalen Hurts is a much more accurate than he was some years ago.
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This is more on Irsay and Steichen than it is on Ballard. Irsay and Steichen are the ones that wanted to draft him and now they’re the ones who want to bench him. Ballard wanted to keep starting him.

Remember, Steichen is the supposed quarterback whisperer who was going to make him a star. Now he gives up on him after 10 starts.
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He got benched for taking himself out of the game for being tired...had he not done that I guarantee he's still playing.
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Seeing it happen, I thought he tweaked something and just needed a minute to recover.

Some people still think that’s what actually happened and he just lied about it because he hates that he’s labeled injury prone. Not realizing the reaction it would get.

I’m not sure that makes it any better, though.
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I'd assume the locker room made the choice for them. He quit on the team and then went on national TV and admitted he quit on the team. There's no coming back from that without a significant correction and some time.
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For a season he did, now he can't throw anything but deep balls to elite WR's.
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You get better by playing once you reach a threshold level.

You send someone out there who's completely incapable of being an NFL starter and all you're doing is multiplying by zero. In the process, you're creating (and/or reinforcing) really bad habits.

Richardson needed at LEAST a full season on the bench to even get to the baseline level of performance needed to learn by playing. And due to injury, instability and a lack of veteran leadership in the QB room, last season wasn't that season.

So honestly they need to commit to him being 2nd string this year. And maybe 3rd (if Flacco gets hurt, find another veteran option to start instead). He cannot get better by playing football at this stage in his career.

Firm up his foundation and then maybe you can start to build on it. But right now all you're doing is building in sand. Stack as much lumber as you want on top of that, it's still going to collapse.
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The only way forward for him to salvage his QB career might be the Geno Smith path to success. And that'll be far from Indy.
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