Jan. 24, 2026, 7:52 a.m. ET
Who should be the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback in 2026?
NFL.com analyst Nick Shook believes that it should still be Daniel Jones. Shook recently highlighted eight free agent quarterbacks who should be re-signed in 2026, and Jones was on that list.
“The Colts would be wise to sign Jones to a reasonable multi-year deal, allowing the two sides to resume their partnership at some point in 2026 and beyond.”
Both the Colts organization and Jones seem to agree.
In GM Chris Ballard’s season-ending press conference, he made it clear that he wanted Jones back. Shane Steichen voiced a similar opinion, and Jones himself echoed similar sentiments, saying he’d “love” to return.
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
One of the main reasons that the Colts are running it back in 2026 is because the organization believes that the early-season success of 2025 is repeatable — and Jones was obviously crucial to that.
Jones is coming off an Achilles injury, but  Ballard said he is “confident” in Jones’ ability to recover and bounce back.
But Shook seems less optimistic.
“Jones’ 2026 outlook is murky — at best — after he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in December,” Shook wrote. “GM Chris Ballard knows the pressure is on and has reason to believe Jones is the team’s long-term answer at the position. He also doesn’t have the luxury to wait for Jones to return to form.”
A potential hurdle to overcome, however, could be determining what Jones’ next deal looks like with him coming off a major injury.