The Colts won a good old-fashioned standoff against a top NFC team to sign a free agent at a position of need

Colts land Daniel Jones to compete with Anthony Richardson 

The Giants drafted Jones with the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent the past six years in New York before being released after 10 games in 2024. He finished the year with the Minnesota Vikings, spending the year learning from Kevin O'Connell behind Sam Darnold. He made quite an impact on the team as after they let Darnold walk in free agency, they made a run at retaining Jones on a deal sources tell A to Z Sports was "very comparable" to what he ultimately landed in Indianapolis. 

He lands a one-year deal with the Colts worth up to $17.7 million with just over $13 million guaranteed. It is a larger sum of money than I and many others would have liked to see used on a player who is most likely to end up just being the team's backup. But the Colts promised real competition, and Jones was the only realistic option they could pursue. Per a source, he was the Colts' top free agent option they were considering at QB. It's up for debate on whether Jones has a legitimate shot at winning the starting job over Richardson. But if Richardson can't beat Jones out in a battle, I think it's safe to say the Colts will have their answer on whether he can be the franchise QB he was drafted to be. 

Thoughts on the Colts landing Daniel Jones from our Vikings Beat Writer

When the New York Giants released Daniel Jones, he was the perfect fit for the Kevin O'Connell quarterback rehab center. A former first-round pick who led the Giants to the playoffs in 2022, Jones had ability but wasn't able to get everything out of it. He went to the Vikings, who raved about him as a person and player despite never playing a down with the Vikings.
Going to the Colts, Jones gets two things: a fresh start and a chance to play. We all know what Jones is as a quarterback and, while he's never going to be an elite player, he can be a solid hand, especially with a good running game. The biggest element is leadership. He can be a great asset to Anthony Richardson as he continues to develop over the course of the season, providing him with examples of why things were successes or failures.