Daniel Jones looked every bit like a quarterback who has put the Achilles injury behind him at Colts training camp, and Shane Steichen didn’t try to temper the buzz.
After a two-hour scrimmage under the lights at Grand Park, the Indianapolis coach came away thrilled with what he saw from his starting quarterback.
“We tried all the throws, we tried accuracy throws, all that stuff and he’s on fire right now,” Steichen said. “It’s awesome to see.”
That wasn’t just coach-speak for the cameras. During Thursday night’s lengthy 11-on-11 work, Jones ran the offense with sharp timing and clean execution, finishing an unofficial 20 of 26 through the air. He hit tight end Tyler Warren on a deep hole shot down the sideline and later found reserve running back Ulysses Bentley IV for a touchdown.
Jones kept feeding the ball to receivers, too. Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine each came down with catches in tight coverage as the quarterback kept placing throws where only his guys could get them.
Jonathan Taylor added to the night’s production, stacking up multiple chunk runs and hauling in a hefty screen pass to move the chains.
#Colts HC Shane Steichen on QB Daniel Jones:
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 7, 2026
“He’s on fire right now. It’s awesome to see.” pic.twitter.com/iLUu7EXXdh
But the clearest sign for Indianapolis was Jones’ movement. He didn’t shy away when the pocket broke down, took off to scramble, and showed speed on bootlegs with no visible hesitation just eight months after the season-ending injury.
If he keeps stacking practices like this, the Colts have reason to believe their offense can pick up where it left off early last season. With Jones healthy and operating at this level, Indianapolis suddenly looks like a dangerous AFC problem as the regular season gets closer.
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Michael Pittman Just Added To A Tough Colts Daniel Jones Debate
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Pittmans departure also lands in the middle of a bigger conversation about Jones, who played through major injuries last season and then got rewarded with a new contract. Even after being moved, Pittman made it clear he still holds Jones in high regard, which only sharpens the debate around how Indianapolis views its quarterback and what kind of standard the organization believes is worth paying for. [Read more 🡒]