The Colts have made their stance on Daniel Jones clear, even with the trade deadline closing in and plenty of teams sniffing around for quarterback help.
According to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer, Indianapolis told Jones it does not plan to move him by Tuesday. Multiple teams checked in on the veteran quarterback, but the Colts weren’t interested in dealing him.
That decision comes at a strange time for the franchise. Indianapolis already shipped out Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner in Week 8, and the expectation is that Jonathan Taylor could be traded this week as well. Even so, the Colts still want a quarterback in place for the incoming general manager in 2027, which helps explain why Jones is staying put.
Jones has been a hot topic around the league in recent weeks. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, and several teams are looking for help under center. The Minnesota Vikings have been mentioned as one club that could use another arm this season with Kyler Murray dealing with an injury.
For Jones, the season has been uneven. Entering Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, he had thrown for 1,542 yards, five touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He signed a two-year, $88 million contract extension with the Colts in March after a solid season in Indianapolis last year.
After the loss to Dallas, Jones said the Colts have been handling plenty of distractions since general manager Chris Ballard was fired in October. He called the situation “unfortunate” and said his focus is on winning as many games as possible.
Jones also made it clear he’s comfortable with Shane Steichen. He likes the head coach and believes in the system Steichen is running.
What happens next for Steichen is still unclear. Ballard’s firing signaled that the Colts are willing to make sweeping changes, and before the season there was an expectation that Indianapolis would need to make the playoffs or face major firings.
The Colts have not played well this year, and Jones is part of that story. He is also coming off an Achilles injury from the 2025 campaign, which made a fast start difficult to expect.
Jones still has eight games left with Indianapolis, and then the Colts will have another major offseason call to make on the former Duke quarterback. He could end up serving as a bridge option if the team uses the 2027 draft to bring in a young quarterback.
In Other News...
Duke Just Got A Heisman Debate Fans Will Love
Nate Sheppard gave Duke plenty to talk about after a breakout performance that turned heads well beyond Durham. The running back piled up 217 rushing yards and found the end zone three times, the kind of day that can change the way a season is discussed, and head coach Manny Diaz wasted no time making the case that Sheppard belongs in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Duke fans know the award race usually tilts toward quarterbacks, and the current betting board reflects that with several passers and even one wide receiver sitting ahead of Sheppard. Still, Diazs endorsement adds some real weight to the argument, especially if Sheppard keeps stacking performances like this and forces voters to pay attention to a back who is making a loud case in a crowded field. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Sends Encouraging Early Message On Duke Freshman Joaquim Boumtje
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje has already become one of the more intriguing early storylines around Duke, not because everything has come easy, but because the freshman is showing enough to make the growing pains worth watching. The 17-year-old has had his share of uneven moments, including a modest outing against Coastal Carolina, yet he has still carved out meaningful minutes and flashed the kind of promise that stands out this early in the season.
Jon Scheyer has made clear the freshmans development is moving in the right direction, pointing to Boumtje Boumtjes coachability and the progress he has already made. For a player adjusting to college basketball while carrying the distinction of being the youngest player in Duke history, the process is still very much underway, and the next step will be how quickly he keeps turning those early reps into reliable impact. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Sheppard Is Turning Dukes Miami Test Into Something Bigger
Dukes rout of NC State did more than pad the win column. The 41-3 finish pushed the Blue Devils to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in ACC play, and it came with the kind of balance coaches love to see this time of year. Nate Sheppard powered the offense with 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while the defense kept NC State out of the end zone and held the Wolfpack to 217 total yards.
For a team trying to keep its place in the ACC race, the timing matters as much as the margin. Duke has now put together a performance that looked complete on both sides of the ball, and Sheppards breakout night only raises the stakes for what comes next. The bigger question is how much of that momentum carries into a tougher test ahead, where the Blue Devils will need to show this was more than just a one-night surge. [Read more 🡒]