Why Colts reportedly made Daniel Jones, Alec Pierce decisions ahead of tag deadline

While speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine last week,
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard indicated that he may be able to retain both quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce without having to use either the franchise tag or the transition tag on either player. 

That won't be the case. 

Why Colts didn't use the franchise tag on Daniel Jones 

The Colts confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that they placed the transition tag on Jones before the deadline to do so arrived at 4 p.m. ET. As Grant Gordon of the NFL's website shared, Jones is now on track to earn a fully guaranteed $37.83M for the 2026 season unless he and the Colts agree to a multiyear deal. 

While on the transition tag, Jones' camp could start speaking with other clubs once the NFL free-agency negotiation window opens at noon ET on Monday, March 9. While the Colts could match any offer he receives, they would not get any draft-pick compensation if they let him go elsewhere. 

"It’s about getting a long-term deal done," NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote about why the Colts used the transition tag instead of the franchise tag on Jones. "The quarterback franchise tag is $43.895M, while the transition tag is $37.833M. Generally, the rule of thumb is to take the equivalent of two tags, split it in half, and that’s how you get to the APY (average per year) on a long-term deal. That would mean Jones signing in the $41.6M per year range off the transition tag, and at around $48.3M per year off the franchise tag, which colors why he and his camp could ask for, at least initially, upwards of $50M per year."

Jones played like a revelation for much of his first season with the Colts until he suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon on Dec. 7, 2025. It's unknown when he'll be cleared to resume playing or if a different club will try to pry him from Indianapolis as soon as next week. 

What are Colts' plans for Alec Pierce?

According to NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Colts sound optimistic that they will be able to sign Pierce before the "legal tampering" portion of free agency starts next Monday. Indianapolis' actions show the club may be closer to locking Pierce down than some Colts fans have feared: