Daniel Jones' Reason for Joining Colts Made Clear

New Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones had an understandable motive for coming to the Circle City.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones (13) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts decided to sign former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones for a QB competition to make certain Anthony Richardson is pushed to be his best in year three.

However, Jones had an opportunity to re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings but opted for Indy since it gave him a better chance to start with Richardson's mighty struggles as a passer in 2024.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote about the topic, further breaking down the situation at QB in Indianapolis. Here's what the insider had to say on Jones picking the best opportunity to return as the top field general.

"And Jones, I’m told, picked what he saw as the better chance to win, and keep, a starting job. If he went back to Minnesota and J.J. McCarthy turned the corner in the coming weeks, and maintained the momentum into the spring, given that the Vikings just took him 10th in the 2024 draft, it’d have been hard for Jones to dislodge him from the lineup."

Breer continued: "Anthony Richardson, conversely, is at the end, rather than the start, of his window to make the team that drafted him his own."

Richardson's 2024 was brutal from a passer standpoint, completing only 47.7 percent of his tosses and throwing more picks (12) than touchdowns (eight). If Richardson is to be the starter under center for the future of Indianapolis, he can't have another season like this or he's likely out as the main guy.

Breer concluded on Jones: "If Jones has a great spring and summer, and Richardson is just O.K., I don’t think there’ll be any fear on Shane Steichen’s part to go full steam ahead with the ex-Giant and Viking."

This isn't what the Colts expected when they drafted Richardson. While they knew he was a bit of a raw quarterback with fantastic upside, his year two decline and subsequent benching wasn't on Chris Ballard's radar.

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The hope for the Colts is that Richardson will beat out Jones for the starting job, but it can't be expected since Jones is more ready to start now than the former fourth-overall pick. Jones, however, hasn't had a stellar career. He's had pedestrian numbers of 14,582 pass yards, 70 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions over six years and 70 games.

As a runner, Jones impressed mostly in the 2022 campaign where he collected 708 yards on 120 attempts (5.9 average) and seven scores. He also had career highs in passing yards (3,205) and low in interceptions (five).

For Jones, he will press to get back to the efficient campaign that was 2022. But since then he's had issues with getting back on track, tallying a 3-13 record with 10 touchdown passes to 13 interceptions. These metrics show that Jones and Richardson, while different in experience, aren't that far apart with their respective struggles.

This competition is one of the fiercest in the NFL given what's on the line for both quarterbacks. For Jones, he must re-ignite his 2022 season return to form so he can start again. For Richardson, he's a fringe starter who must improve his prowess as a passer, or else his time in the Circle City might come to a close.

It will be interesting to see this battle for a starting position and who edges out the other by the time September hits.

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