Daniel Jones could be staying put in Indianapolis.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero gave an update Monday on Jones’ contract situation with the Colts, who signed him to a one-year, $14 million deal before the 2025 campaign.
“It is a big week for the Colts and Daniel Jones, who’ve been in negotiations on a multi-year contract extension to keep him in Indianapolis,” Pelissero said. “The sides, I would anticipate, meet face-to-face this week. Jones wants to stay here in Indianapolis. The Colts want to keep Jones, who was playing his best football prior to injuries last year.”
Pelissero also mentioned that the franchise or transition tags could be options for the Colts. The deadline for those is March 3. They could work better than a multi-year contract, which may be hard to negotiate considering Jones’ injuries.
Jones is currently searching for a long-term deal, but the tags would be a better option for Indianapolis’ cap space. They would also prevent him from hitting the open market.
“The question really is, what exactly is that number that makes sense on a multi-year deal?” Pelissero asked. “Those conversations this week are going to be pivotal to deciding which direction this thing goes in Indianapolis.”
One clear hurdle in this process, as Pelissero mentioned, is Jones’ injury. He tore his Achilles late in the 2025 regular season, prompting the Colts to coax Phillip Rivers out of retirement to play quarterback at the end of the campaign.
Jones led the Colts to an 8-5 record before the tear, while compiling 3,101 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
However, it’s unclear if he’ll be able to return for the start of the 2026 season.
Jones’ success at the beginning of the year looked to be mirroring that of Saquon Barkley’s uptick with the Eagles. Both were former Giants, cast away by the organization, albeit for completely different reasons.
With the Giants, Jones struggled with turnover issues, more injuries — including a torn ACL in 2023 — and just playing consistently.
The 2019 No. 6 overall pick led the Giants to the playoffs in 2022 and earned a four-year, $160 million extension as a result. But he was released after just two years, playing 16 of a possible 68 games on the deal.
Now, he’s looking to continue to revitalize his career elsewhere. That place could still be Indianapolis.