Daniel Jones appears set to enter Colts training camp without restrictions, and Shane Steichen didn’t need many words to make the point.
The Indianapolis head coach told ESPN this weekend, “He’ll be a full participant.”
That’s the kind of update Colts fans were waiting for after an offseason in which Jones’ Week 1 availability wasn’t entirely clear. Now, at least based on Steichen’s comment, Indianapolis expects its quarterback to be ready when camp opens.
It also gives the Colts a cleaner path into a season that could shape a lot of futures in the building. Jones signed a two-year deal this offseason, but Indianapolis has an out after one year that would save the team $38 million.
So the equation is simple enough: Jones has to keep playing like he did in the first half of last season, stay healthy after having three seasons cut short by different injuries, and push the Colts into the playoffs. If he does that, he’ll likely earn that second year and could maximize the $88 million he can be paid through 2027.
The encouraging part for Indianapolis is that Jones should get the full camp reps he couldn’t quite access earlier in the offseason. He took part in organized team activities and minicamp, but only in 7-on-7 work.
Full-squad sessions were off the table then, even though he wanted them. Now he should be back to building timing with his receivers in a different-looking offense.
That matters because the pass-catching group has changed around him. Michael Pittman Jr. is gone after being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Alec Pierce is back on a four-year deal. Pierce is now the top wideout and will need far more than his career-high 84 targets from last season.
There is a catch, though: Pierce could miss at least part of training camp while he works back from ankle surgery in March, and there’s a chance he may not be ready by Week 1.
Still, Jones and Pierce were a strong pairing for much of last season, and the Colts are hoping that carries forward.
Camp will also help sort out another important question: who grabs the WR3 job behind Pierce and Josh Downs. Ashton Dulin seems to have the inside track, but he has never produced much. With Jones now a full participant, the Colts will have a better chance to see whether Dulin can take a step forward.
In Other News...
ESPN Just Delivered A Brutal Verdict On The Colts' Young Core
ESPN analyst Aaron Schatzs latest look at NFL rosters by under-25 talent did not paint a flattering picture for Indianapolis. The Colts came in 26th leaguewide, a drop from 20th a year ago, and the slide reflects a young core that has not delivered enough impact around general manager Chris Ballards recent draft classes. Among the teams first- and second-round picks from 2023 through 2025, only a couple have lived up to expectations, while others have fallen short or are no longer in Indianapolis.
The bigger concern is the company the Colts are keeping in the AFC South. Jacksonville, Tennessee and Houston all sit ahead of them in young-talent rankings, leaving Indianapolis behind every division rival in a category that usually tracks future upside. It is a sobering snapshot for a team trying to build sustainably, especially when the margin for error is already thin and the next wave of development has to come quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Tyreek Hill Update Should Cool Colts WR3 Buzz Fast
Tyreek Hills latest recovery update is the kind of reminder that can quickly change the way teams talk about a veteran receiver market. In a workout video he posted on his YouTube account, Hill showed he is still grinding through rehab after the knee injury that wiped out his season, and the tone of the update suggested real progress even if the road back remains long.
For the Colts, that matters because their search for a third wide receiver has been tied in part to the idea of a possible short-term swing at a big name with upside. Hills age and the severity of the injury already made that a complicated bet, and any optimism around his recovery only sharpens the question of whether Indianapolis should keep looking at safer options instead of waiting on a splashy name with plenty still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Already Have A Problem With This First Round Addition
The Colts spent the offseason trying to shore up a front seven that needed more reliable bodies around Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, bringing in Jerry Tillery and Derrick Nnadi as veteran help. On paper, the idea made sense: add experience, add depth, and see whether either lineman could give the defense a sturdier rotation behind its top two anchors.
The problem is that the early returns have not exactly quieted the concern. Tillery has long carried questions about his run defense and overall consistency, while the rest of the depth chart behind Stewart and Buckner still looks unsettled enough to keep the competition open. There are younger options in the mix, including Cameron Ball and Adetomiwa Adebawore, but the Colts still appear to be searching for a dependable answer rather than simply collecting names. [Read more 🡒]