The Colts have made their stance on Daniel Jones clear: he’s staying put, at least through Tuesday’s trade deadline.
According to Tom Pelissero, Indianapolis informed Jones that it will not move him before the deadline, even after receiving calls on the quarterback with the market heating up. The Colts, sitting at 2-7, have already been active sellers, dealing offensive lineman Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers.
That has kept them squarely in the middle of the deadline conversation, with Jonathan Taylor drawing the most attention after his apparent goodbye to Indianapolis following Sunday’s 27-23 loss to the Cowboys. Josh Downs and Grover Stewart have also been mentioned as possible names to watch.
Jones is not going anywhere, though, and his first season in Indianapolis has been rough. The Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard, and the turbulence has spilled onto the field at quarterback. Jones has been one of the league’s least effective passers this season, with 5.7 yards per attempt, a 6-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio, a 60.3% completion rate and 9.5 yards per completion.
His supporting cast has not made life easier. Alec Pierce, who signed an extension this offseason, has missed nearly the entire year after aggravating the ankle injury he had surgery on earlier this offseason. Right now, Keenan Allen leads the team with 40 catches, while Downs is the top receiver in yards with 354.
Minnesota had been viewed as a possible landing spot for Jones, who spent time on the Vikings’ practice squad two seasons ago. The Vikings have had their own issues on offense, with Kyler Murray sidelined by a hamstring injury and Carson Wentz set to start Monday. Still, it remains unclear which teams actually checked in on Jones.
For now, the Colts are keeping the quarterback in place. Jones is a team captain, signed a two-year, $88 million extension this past offseason, and Indianapolis has a potential out after this season that would leave it with $35.2 million in dead cap.
The team also does not own its first-round pick because of last season’s Sauce Gardner trade, which could make Jones a candidate to stick around as a placeholder next year. Either way, he’s staying in Indianapolis for the rest of this season.
In Other News...
Colts Just Made Their Daniel Jones Belief Impossible To Ignore
The Colts have made their stance on Daniel Jones unmistakably clear as the NFL trade deadline approaches. After a stretch of trade chatter and outside interest, Indianapolis informed Jones it will not move him, and the plan remains for him to stay in place as the starting quarterback.
It is a notable show of confidence for a player who has posted career-best numbers with the Colts, even as his production has dipped in recent weeks. For a team trying to settle its quarterback situation, the decision keeps the spotlight on Jones and leaves Indianapolis committed to riding out whatever comes next with him under center. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Face A Bigger Week 9 Decision Than Just Beating Dallas
The Colts head into Week 9 with more on their minds than just the Dallas Cowboys, because a rough start has pushed the conversation toward bigger-picture choices about how to handle the rest of the season. Indianapolis has to decide how much weight to give immediate wins versus player development, especially with the trade deadline approaching and the team still trying to sort out its direction.
Jonathan Taylor and Daniel Jones sit right in the middle of that discussion, which makes this matchup feel like more than a routine chance to clean things up against a Dallas defense that has its own issues. A win would help steady the mood, but the Colts are also staring at the possibility that how they manage this week could say as much about their long-term plan as the final score does. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Taylor Just Reopened The Colts Biggest Trade Deadline Question
Jonathan Taylors comments after the Colts loss to the Dallas Cowboys only added to the uncertainty hanging over Indianapolis as the NFL trade deadline approaches. The running back addressed the swirling speculation around his future, and while he made clear how much the city and the fan base mean to him, he also left the door open on what comes next for a team still trying to sort out its roster direction.
For the Colts, the timing makes this a particularly uncomfortable storyline to revisit. Taylor did not ask for a trade, but the fact that his future remains unresolved keeps one of Indianapolis biggest deadline questions alive, with the clock still ticking and no clear answer yet on whether he will be part of the team beyond this week. [Read more 🡒]