The Indianapolis Colts are one of the more pleasant surprises in the NFL thus far this season. They are currently sitting atop the AFC South, tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars with 3-2 records. However, the great start to their season has been marred by one thing; injuries.

Running back Jonathan Taylor, fresh off a three-year, $42 million extension, is working his way back after spending the first four weeks on the PUP List. Now, rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson is staring down a lengthy time away from the field.

Only five games into his rookie season, Richardson has already been forced out of a game three times because of three different injuries, one of which was a concussion that led to a missed game. In Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, he suffered what could be a severe shoulder injury.

In the second quarter against Tennessee, Richardson was tackled while scrambling and his right shoulder was driven into the ground. The Colts immediately removed him from the game and he was announced out shortly after.

He was diagnosed with a Grade 3 AC joint sprain, which could lead to a lengthy rehab process. Or worse, surgery. The Colts and Richardson are currently gathering more information, as they are getting the opinions of multiple doctors before making a final decision on how to move forward.

While everyone is different and it is tough to diagnose a patient without actually seeing them, doctors can make educated guesses on what is wrong. Based on what some people in the field of sports medicine have seen, things aren’t looking good for Richardson.

Playing without the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft would certainly be a bummer. When on the field, he has proven to be a productive player, but keeping him on the field has been very difficult to this point.

Luckily for the Colts, they have a very capable backup quarterback in Gardner Minshew. He will step into the lineup for however long Richardson is sidelined, providing them a chance to remain competitive for the duration of his absence.