The Colts have already made two major moves ahead of the trade deadline, and Daniel Jones may not be the last name to watch.
Indianapolis has dealt both Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, and ESPN reported that the team has heard from “multiple” clubs about Jones and has been open to listening. That doesn’t lock in a trade, but it does put Jones squarely in the middle of the deadline conversation as Tuesday approaches.
Jones’ situation is a little unusual because of the contract the Colts handed him in March. Indianapolis gave him a two-year, $88 million extension with $50 million guaranteed, and most of that money has already been paid out through a $44 million signing bonus. For any team that wants to take a swing, the financial barrier is far lower than it would normally be.
There was a time when Jones looked like he could be the Colts’ quarterback of the future. Last season, he helped push the team to a 7-1 start before injuries took over. His year ended with a torn Achilles in Week 13, which sidelined him for the final four games.
The market for a quarterback like that is thin, though. ESPN noted that the Ravens checked in on Jones, but Baltimore went in a different direction and landed Jacoby Brissett instead.
That leaves Minnesota as the team that fits best. The Vikings are 6-1 and have one of the league’s top defenses, but their offense has struggled badly enough that the strength of the roster isn’t being matched on the other side of the ball. Their passing game is averaging only 165.6 yards per game, which ranks second-worst in the NFL.
Kyler Murray was brought in during the offseason to jump-start things, but it hasn’t happened. He has started six games and hasn’t been effective, and he’s now dealing with multiple injuries, including a hamstring issue that will keep him out this week.
Carson Wentz is set to make his second start of the season in Week 9. He started in Week 2 after Murray suffered a concussion, and that outing was rough: 55% completions, 143 yards and no touchdowns. Still, he showed more in Week 1, when he threw three touchdown passes in a 39-22 win over the Packers.
If Wentz can beat the 6-1 Bills on Monday night, Minnesota might feel less urgency to chase another quarterback. If he doesn’t, the Vikings could be forced to explore a move before the deadline.
There’s another reason Jones would make sense there: Kevin O’Connell already knows him. Jones spent the 2024 season in Minnesota, and the Vikings wanted him back before he chose the Colts because he believed he had a better shot to start there.
So while Indianapolis has already been active, it may not be done. Jones is one name to watch, and Jonathan Taylor is another possibility, though there’s no guarantee that deal ever materializes.
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Wentz brings plenty of familiarity and plenty of questions, and the stakes around this one go beyond a single primetime matchup. A strong showing would help stabilize the conversation around Minnesotas direction, while a rough night could sharpen the pressure on how the team approaches the weeks ahead and what it decides to do next. [Read more 🡒]