How Daniel Jones impressed Colts players, coaches en route to winning starting job

The uncertain future of Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. continues to overshadow the fact that free-agency signing Daniel Jones will serve as the club's starter for its regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins this coming Sunday.

For a piece published on Friday, James Boyd of The Athletic detailed how Jones impressed his teammates and coaches en route to showing he deserved an opportunity to resurrect his career as Indianapolis' QB1.

What about Daniel Jones is "phenomenal"

"He’s very demanding at quarterback," Colts wide receiver Adonai "AD" Mitchell recently said about Jones. "He’ll tell you what he wants you to do, and it’s an open dialogue there. His work ethic is phenomenal."

Jones looked like a legitimate long-term franchise quarterback when he recorded 301 passing yards, two touchdowns through the air and 78 rushing yards as he guided the New York Giants to a playoff victory at the Minnesota Vikings in January 2023. However, the 28-year-old more recently went 3-13 over his final 16 starts with the Giants before the two parted ways last November. 

That said, the competition for the Indianapolis starting job likely ended once Richardson suffered a dislocated right pinkie after he failed to recognize pressure in the club's preseason opener last month. He missed 17 regular-season games due to injury over his first two pro campaigns, and the Colts reportedly felt he needed "to improve his game preparation and better understand the gravity of the job" last fall. 

Meanwhile, a previous report noted that Jones' mastery of pre-snap reads helped him defeat Richardson in a competition that often felt like more of a formality throughout the summer. 

How Daniel Jones may "pay dividends" for the Indianapolis Colts

"I think from a cerebral standpoint, just talking to him — when you talk to him in the meeting rooms, when you talk to him on the practice field, he sees things," Colts head coach Shane Steichen recently said about Jones. "There’s always little side discussions like, 'Hey, if I see this, I might get to this because there’s no one covering that guy.' … Those conversations I’ve had with him and that he’s had with his teammates have been really solid. That’s going to pay dividends for us."

Jones has a noteworthy injury history, and the bulk of his final performances with the Giants suggest he won't become a revelation with the Colts. Nevertheless, ESPN Bet had Indianapolis as a 1.5-point home favorite for this coming Sunday's matchup against Miami as of Friday morning. 

It remains to be seen if Jones will still be atop the depth chart when the Colts begin preparing for their Week 2 game versus the Denver Broncos.