Why this Daniel Jones decision reportedly 'feels like a formality' for the Colts

ESPN's Ben Solak suggested that there may be at least a little bit of doubt regarding whether or not the Indianapolis Colts will commit themselves to quarterback Daniel Jones after Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon on Dec. 7. 

For a mailbag posted on Wednesday, Colts reporter James Boyd of The Athletic shared why "it feels like a formality" that Jones will resume his role as Indianapolis' QB1 whenever he's cleared to return to the lineup. 

Why Daniel Jones is Colts' best option for 2026 season

"The Colts don’t have any other options in 2026," Boyd explained. "They essentially tied their future to Jones in November when [Colts general manager Chris Ballard] traded their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, as well as wide receiver AD Mitchell, to the New York Jets for star cornerback Sauce Gardner. That massive trade likely would not have happened if the Colts were iffy about Jones, though they also couldn’t have predicted that Jones would be lost for the season just five weeks later."

As recently as January, there was no indication Ballard or Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon had grown "iffy" about Jones. Jones went 8-2 as Indianapolis' starter before he suffered a reported fibula injury in Week 12. Per Pro Football Reference stats, he ended the regular season ranked eighth in the NFL among qualified players with a 63.0 adjusted QBR and ninth with a 100.2 passer rating.

Jones was on track to reach free agency in March when he went down with his latest setback. One can only guess how much his next deal could have been worth had he stayed healthy.

"All signs point to" this outcome for possible Daniel Jones, Colts storyline

"...All signs point to Jones being retained in Indianapolis," Boyd added. While ESPN's Stephen Holder previously mentioned that the Colts could retain Jones' rights for 2026 via the franchise tag, Indianapolis coming to terms on a contract with the 28-year-old would leave the tag available for a different player. 

Specifically, Boyd thinks Indianapolis could slap the tag on wide receiver Alec Pierce to keep Pierce from hitting the open market when the new league year begins on March 11.