The Indianapolis Colts are likely still trying to figure out how they went from 8-2 to missing the playoffs.
And for the Colts, entering the offseason, there are a host of questions that they must answer, and the big one is what to do with Daniel Jones.
The key architect in the Colts being 8-2 and then 8-5 before he got injured, Jones is set to be a free agent, and coming off an Achilles injury, who knows what sort of play we will get when he does return in 2026.
Do the Colts look elsewhere for a reliable quarterback? Or do they try to get things sorted out with Jones contract-wise?
For CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, placing the franchise tag on Jones will be a costly exercise.
“The priority is Jones, who is recovering from an Achilles injury and would cost about $47 million on the tag,” Jones wrote. “Indy would prefer to sign Jones to an extension, and there is mutual interest in him remaining there, sources say. But there will be interest in the quarterback if he somehow hits free agency. Jones went through a similar situation in 2023, when he landed a four-year deal with the Giants and Big Blue used the tag on Saquon Barkley.”
More: Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes gets ultimate bulletin board material after QB rankings
What should Colts do with Jones?
That is the big question, and considering there is a fair chance Jones will miss at least an early portion of the 2026 season, the franchise might choose to look at an alternative.
Would Jones consider a new contract at significantly lower pay than the tag? That is unknown, but the Colts might be pushed into a corner when it comes to what it has to do to keep this thing rolling in a positive direction in 2026.
Having Jones under contract for $47 million is a big gamble to take, especially when we don’t know how healthy he’ll be when he does return.
Either way, the Colts have a huge decision to make with Jones.
Which way will they go?
More NFL news: