This Daniel Jones move 'not totally off the table' for Colts after injury

Far more questions than answers exist regarding the future of Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback Daniel Jones after Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon on Dec. 7.

For a piece published on Wednesday morning, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler revealed that the Colts may not let Jones reach free agency in March 2026 even though it's unknown when the 28-year-old will take his next in-game snap. 

How Colts could retain Daniel Jones' rights

According to Fowler, the Colts retaining Jones' rights for 2026 via the franchise or transition tag is "not totally off the table" ahead of Christmas. 

"Those numbers are projected somewhere between $39M and $46M," Fowler explained. 

Jones signed a one-year "prove it" contract to join the Colts this past offseason, and he defeated Anthony Richardson Sr. in a summer competition for the starting job. Jones then became a revelation as he guided the Colts to a 7-1 record, but he more recently had been playing with a reported fracture in his fibula before he went down with the Achilles injury. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Jones ended Week 14 ranked ninth in the NFL among qualified players with a 64.1 adjusted QBR, eighth with a 100.2 passer rating and seventh with 3,101 passing yards. In total, he recorded 19 touchdown passes and eight interceptions with the Colts. 

The Colts currently have no long-term replacement for Jones on their roster, so much so that they pulled 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement this week. Meanwhile, Jones was previously linked with a Minnesota Vikings team that may want to bring in competition for second-year pro J.J. McCarthy. Jones enjoyed a cup-of-coffee stint with the Vikings late in the 2024 season.

When Colts may make Daniel Jones decision

"My sense is Indianapolis will want to see how Jones is progressing in his rehab before deciding," Fowler added. "That will help inform the team on how to proceed. ...Jones has been Indy's most viable quarterback option since Andrew Luck, so the Colts might not be afraid to pay him big. Coaches and teammates there love him."

It remains to be seen if the Colts love Jones enough to make a financial commitment to the signal-caller who probably won't be ready to play by Week 1 in September 2026.