Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Riley Leonard and Jason Bean were given an excellent opportunity to strut their stuff in Indy’s preseason finale after head coach Shane Steichen opted to not let his top two passers, Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson Sr., suit up in the final tune up game.
Both the third and fourth-stringers took full advantage on Saturday, combining for 275 passing yards and two touchdown tosses in the Colts’ 41-14 trouncing of the Bengals.
Leonard all but locked up the third and final quarterback spot behind Jones and Richardson. He was up and down throughout the preseason, but improved as a passer across the three games and showed his talent and value as a runner.
“He did some good things…it was impressive,” head coach Shane Steichen said about the rookie’s performance. “This was an opportunity (for him)...I thought he did a really nice job.”
Bean, meanwhile, is unlikely to be one of the final 53 unless the Colts sacrifice an extra depth position elsewhere. He’ll be squarely in play to end up on the practice squad but could easily find an opportunity elsewhere to round out another team’s depth chart.
Either way, a performance both passers can be proud of as the Colts and quarterback coach Cam Turner now turn their focus to getting Jones as prepared as possible to start the season when the Dolphins visit Indianapolis on Sept. 7.
But before then, the Colts must finalize their initial 53-man roster by Aug. 26.