{"id":759588,"date":"2026-02-18T04:30:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T04:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/759588\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T04:30:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T04:30:27","slug":"former-viking-called-bust-waiting-to-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/759588\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Viking Called \u201cBust Waiting to Happen\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ex-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones<\/a> fired up the start of a storybook season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 \u2014 before the bottom fell out. Jones\u2019s performance nosedived in late October, and he later tore his Achilles tendon<\/a>. Now, as he seeks to heal in time for 2026, Bleacher Report has called Jones a \u201cfree agent bust waiting to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones put sweet tape on the table before the injury, but Indy\u2019s late-season collapse and rehab timeline keep his 2026 outlook complicated.<\/p>\n

Jones wasn\u2019t alone in Gary Davenport\u2019s article, but the characterization was not flattering.<\/p>\n

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The Colts\u2019 2026 QB Plan Still Runs through Daniel Jones<\/p>\n

Indianapolis has been warned.<\/p>\n

\"Daniel<\/p>\n

Oct 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) surveys the field during pregame warmups before facing the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on Oct. 26, 2025. Jones stood near midfield as teammates stretched and coaches finalized preparations ahead of an AFC South divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

BR: Jones Is a Free Agent Bust in the Making<\/p>\n

Naming eight free agents who could result in bust fates, Davenport added Jones to the list and opined<\/a>, \u201cFor much of last season, it appeared Daniel Jones was headed toward a monster payday in 2026. The 28-year-old completed a career-high 68 percent of his passes and posted a triple-digit passer rating for the first time in his career.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe seven-year veteran and 2019 sixth overall pick had the Indianapolis Colts in first place for much of the season. But the four-year, $174.4 million contract Spotrac projects for Jones could be a calamity for the team that signs him\u2014because calamity is how his 2025 campaign ended.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jones was actually an MVP candidate<\/a> through six weeks of the 2025 regular season.<\/p>\n

Davenport continued, \u201cFrom all indications, the Colts remain highly interested in retaining Jones. But if it\u2019s at anywhere near that projected contract, it will be Indy\u2019s latest gaffe under center.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only is seven months an awfully optimistic timetable for a return from an Achilles tear, but a fat contract assumes he will be able to recapture pre-injury form and repeat last year\u2019s surprise career season. Anything more than a one-year deal is asking for trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth noting that the Vikings tried to re-sign Jones last offseason, but he preferred the Colts because he thought he could start \u2014 and he was right.<\/p>\n

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The 2025 Numbers before Injury<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019s injury irrevocably altered Indianapolis\u2019s season. After he was sidelined in late December, the Colts unraveled, stumbling to the finish and missing the postseason. Their subsequent acquisition of Philip Rivers<\/a> after his five-year absence proved insufficient.<\/p>\n

The late-season collapse obscured the team\u2019s previously strong performance. Throughout September and October, Jones had led Indianapolis to an 8\u20132 record, inserting himself into the MVP conversation. Though his candidacy faded as the season wore on, his overall performance still resonated across the league.<\/p>\n

Before the Achilles tear, his 2025 pace projected to:<\/p>\n

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\u2014 4,055 Passing Yards
\u2014 31 Total TDs
\u2014 10 INTs
\u2014 68.0% Completion
\u2014 7th in EPA+CPOE Ranking<\/p>\n

For clarity, Jones suffered a steep production decline at the season\u2019s midpoint:<\/p>\n

Daniel Jones NFL Ranking,
per EPA+CPOE,
in 2025:<\/p>\n

Week 1-8: 4th
Week 9-18: 28th<\/p>\n

Back in IND?<\/p>\n

Of course, the Colts will remember Jones\u2019s 2025 rather fondly. He balled out through two months, and the moment he left, everything crumbled. Rivers and Riley Leonard<\/a> could not salvage the season for a team that started 8-2.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the Colts allegedly want Jones back. ESPN\u2019s Stephen Holder wrote Tuesday, \u201cThe Colts have made it clear that Jones is their starting quarterback when he returns to health. Yes, the Colts will need to sign him to an extension for that to happen, but the parties have expressed no trepidation about that process to date.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cJones has an Achilles injury that will require many months of rehab, but the Colts remain undaunted. The question is what happens behind him. That\u2019s where it\u2019s becoming increasingly likely that 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson Sr. will wind up elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the beginning of the offseason, there\u2019s just been a common understanding that Indianapolis will re-sign Jones. It\u2019s why he\u2019s not a serious contender in the Vikings\u2019 current quarterback rumor mill<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Daniel<\/p>\n

Sep 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) jogs off the field after the game at Nissan Stadium on Sep. 21, 2025. Jones headed toward the tunnel as the Colts wrapped up a road contest, concluding an AFC battle under the lights in Nashville. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Holder added, \u201cRichardson lost a preseason position battle with Jones entering 2025, and the Colts are openly stating their commitment to Jones for 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Colts have also warmed to the idea that 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard can ascend to their No. 2 quarterback spot given his practice performance and his play in the season finale.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also unclear whether Jones will be ready to roll by Week 1; Achilles injuries often don\u2019t fully heal in 9 months. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n

Other Busts<\/p>\n

Davenport, meanwhile, issued a warning about these potential free-agent busts:<\/p>\n

David Edwards (G, Buffalo Bills)<\/p>\n

Trey Hendrickson (EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals)<\/p>\n

Jauan Jennings (WR, San Francisco 49ers)<\/p>\n

Devin Lloyd (LB, Jacksonville Jaguars)<\/p>\n

Kenneth Walker (RB, Seattle Seahawks)<\/p>\n

Rasheed Walker (OT, Green Bay Packers)<\/p>\n

Nahshon Wright (CB, Chicago Bears)<\/p>\n

\"Nahshon<\/p>\n

Oct 13, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) reacts after a first-quarter play against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on Oct. 13, 2025. Wright signaled toward teammates following a defensive stop, bringing energy to Chicago\u2019s secondary during the early stages of the matchup. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Wright notably played for the Vikings in 2024, but the club didn\u2019t use him on defense, leaving him on the practice squad<\/a>. He signed with the Bears last offseason and reached the Pro Bowl in 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ex-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones fired up the start of a storybook season with the Indianapolis Colts in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":759589,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2059],"tags":[53,391,256,2005,2772,28380,5412,7,345,2004,392,2381,125,10117,9294,10378,6,3725,3993,747,252,261,394,1503,234,111],"class_list":{"0":"post-759588","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-indianapolis-colts","8":"tag-buffalo-bills","9":"tag-chicago-bears","10":"tag-cincinnati-bengals","11":"tag-colts","12":"tag-daniel-jones","13":"tag-david-edwards","14":"tag-devin-lloyd","15":"tag-football","16":"tag-green-bay-packers","17":"tag-indianapolis","18":"tag-indianapolis-colts","19":"tag-indianapoliscolts","20":"tag-jacksonville-jaguars","21":"tag-jauan-jennings","22":"tag-kenneth-walker","23":"tag-nahshon-wright","24":"tag-nfl","25":"tag-philip-rivers","26":"tag-rasheed-walker","27":"tag-riley-leonard","28":"tag-san-francisco-49ers","29":"tag-seattle-seahawks","30":"tag-tennessee-titans","31":"tag-trey-hendrickson","32":"tag-vikings","33":"tag-washington-commanders"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116089759163555012","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=759588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759588\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/759589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=759588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=759588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=759588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}