Colts Urged to Risk Giving Daniel Jones New Contract

The Indianapolis Colts saw their best QB play in years with Daniel Jones, and a re-signing should be expected in 2026.

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts finished their once-promising 2025 season on a disgusting seven-game losing streak.

Several factors can be attributed to this decline, mostly the mountainous amount of injuries that stacked up following their Week 11 bye.

However, of these injuries, none negatively impacted the team more than when quarterback Daniel Jones sustained a fractured fibula, followed by a devastating Achilles injury that derailed his season.

Despite this injury and the others that Jones sustained during his days with the New York Giants, all signs point to the Colts re-signing the former Duke Blue Devil.

NFL.com's Nick Shook dives further into why the Colts must re-sign Jones under center.

"Jones' 2026 outlook is murky -- at best -- after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in December.

That said, it was rather refreshing to hear the Colts throw their full faith and confidence behind the quarterback who appeared -- at least for a few months -- to be the savior they've sought since the abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck."

An anonymous NFL executive predicts the Colts will win the AFC South next season:

“The Colts appeared poised for a breakthrough with the 8-2 start to 2025… They had Daniel Jones playing well. The roster has talent. They are closer than people might think” pic.twitter.com/3gkfNoUj4M

— SleeperColts (@SleeperColts) January 23, 2026

Shook hits the nail on the head here, outside of Philip Rivers' 2020 campaign, Indianapolis has been desperate for QB consistency since Andrew Luck hung up the cleats ahead of the 2019 season.

So far, it's Jones that has fit that bill.

Jones looked excellent and the best of his NFL career in 2025 with Indianapolis under Shane Steichen.

Jones dazzled with a career-high completion percentage of 68.0, connecting on 261/384 passes for 3,101 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions.

Jones was also able to secure five additional touchdowns with his feet, often using the quarterback sneak to obtain the scores.

Daniel Jones sneaks it in to give the @Colts the lead

DENvsIND on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/rHGaHdZfwA

— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025

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To shift a bit from Jones, you can't possibly bring his name up without also surfacing another Colts quarterback: Anthony Richardson Sr.

Some may believe that Richardson needs one more shot ahead of a critical decision on his fifth-year option.

However, I believe that ship has sunk, and it started when Richardson failed to beat out Jones for the starting QB role during the 2025 offseason.

This was compounded when Richardson broke his orbital bone with an accidental resistance band incident that landed him securely on Injured Reserve yet again.

With Richardson's future likely over, it opens the door wide for Jones to be the solution at quarterback moving forward.

Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) is introduced before a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The biggest risk is Jones' Achilles injury, and whether he can return to form after such a devastating setback.

These types of injuries are tricky, and a great example is looking at Indy's free agent defensive end, Samson Ebukam.

Ebukam was signed in 2023 and immediately made a huge impact, ending the year leading Indianapolis in sacks with 9.5.

Hopes were high that he could be even better in 2024, but he tore his Achilles tendon before the regular season got underway. Once he returned in 2025, he was a ghost of his 2023 self, posting only 2.0 sacks.

While Ebukam's age and years in the NFL might have played a part, the Achilles injury undoubtedly played a huge role in his massive decline.

Expect Jones to be re-signed by Indianapolis, but the deal must be lesser than what a franchise quarterback should get given his injury history.

Regardless, Jones gave the Colts their first taste of a franchise quarterback in years, and that can't be ignored with so much on the line for the 2026 season.