Daniel Jones Returning To “Special” Colts Environment
- Colts had leverage in Jones' contract situation due to his success with the team.
- Stability in coaching staff, offensive line, and skill position players helped retain Jones.
- Jones' injury history led to a 2-year deal, allowing Colts to evaluate him further.
INDIANAPOLIS – Would Daniel Jones find a place where he would have had similar success to what he experienced last year in Indy?
In a contractual situation where both parties expressed a desire to make the marriage continue, the Colts had some leverage in that area.
If Jones was going to truly look in the mirror and ask himself where he was likely to have his most success in 2026, and possibly beyond, the franchise that helped give him the best stretch of his NFL career was going to be hard to turn away from, no matter the financial game that comes with free agency.
“I wanted to be here,” Jones said after inking a 2-year deal worth up to $100 million to stay with the Colts. “(I) made that clear to my agents and everybody. I’m glad it worked out.”
Given how the Colts have operated with quarterback in recent years and the mid-season trade of two first-round picks, the leverage game was probably more with Jones in this situation.
For the Colts to find something close to resembling what the Seahawks got with Sam Darnold, Jones is probably the most realistic candidate to achieving that.
Stability is there at play caller, with Shane Steichen having very early belief in what Jones could do in Indy.
Jonathan Taylor is returning. Four of the team’s five starting offensive linemen are back. Yes, the Colts need to replace top pass catcher Michael Pittman Jr., but the rest of the wideouts are back.
“This is a special place with really, really good people who care about football, care about winning, care about the players,” Jones added.
Of course, there are certainly questions when it comes to Jones and his health situation.
His inability to finish off 16/17-game seasons have been difficult to achieve.
It’s why a 2-year deal made plenty of sense for the Colts.
If Jones continues to have availability issues, the Colts will be in a position to pivot in the ’28 offseason, as the team gets their next first-round pick back.
But it also allows the Colts to have a 2nd year post Achilles to evaluate Jones, and see if he can fully tap into what he showed at the start of last season.
For 2026, you have two question when it comes to Jones.
-When is Jones cleared to play?
-When does Jones actually start looking like his normal, mobile, self?
That second answer will be critical to how the Colts ’26 campaign goes, and what the future holds at quarterback, head coach and general manager.
If Jones is going to show that the start to last season was no mirage, this was going to be the place he was going to do it.
