INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts have inserted Daniel Jones into their open competition with Anthony Richardson.
The team and 2019 first-round draft pick have agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The deal could be worth as much as $17.7 million, according to NFL Network.
General manager Chris Ballard promised last month there would be “real competition’’ for Richardson as he headed into his third year. Two seasons marred by injuries and inconsistent play forced the team’s hand regarding the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
“It has to be the right guy to create real competition, but we want to create real competition,’’ Ballard said. “It has to be somebody that can really challenge from a production standpoint, too.’’
On Monday, the Colts agreed to terms with two defensive priorities: cornerback Charvarius Ward on a three-year, $60 million contract with $35 million guaranteed and safety Camryn Bynum on a four-year, $60 million deal with $32 million in guarantees.
On Tuesday, Ballard emerged with his preferred veteran quarterback after Jones debated between remaining with the Minnesota Vikings as J.J. McCarthy’s backup or relocating to Indy and challenging Richardson for playing time.
Jones is an interesting addition. He turns 27 on May 27 and could benefit from joining a franchise in better personnel shape than the New York Giants.
The Giants selected him with the 6th overall pick in 2019 but Jones never came close to fulfilling expectations as the franchise looked for Eli Manning’s successor.
Jones struggled individually and the Giants were unable to surround him with a legitimate supporting cast. He was sacked 208 times in 70 games, third-most in the NFL since 2019. He was sacked on 8.49% of his drop-backs, trailing only Russell Wilson (8.7%, 261 total).
The Giants are 32-67-1 over the past six seasons, and have lost at least 10 games five times.
Although Jones was just 24-44-1 as a starter with the Giants, he led them to a wild-card playoff spot in 2022. That season, he completed 67.2% of his passes for a career-best 3,205 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Jones was able to lean on running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 TDs.
The rest of his time with the Giants was uneven at best. The end came after Jones was released in late November after the Giants got off to a 2-8 start. The Minnesota Vikings signed him to their practice squad, but he never stepped on the field.
It’s not hyperbole to mention the importance of Ballard and coach Shane Steichen getting the quarterback situation resolved. It’s been a lingering problem since Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement two weeks before the 2019 season.
First, the Colts rode a quarterback carousel: Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan.
Then, they used the 4th overall pick in 2023 on Richardson, an athletic prospect who had made just 13 starts at Florida.
Richardson’s development, though, has been impeded by injuries, inefficiency and perhaps immaturity. He’s missed 17 starts because of a concussion, sprained right shoulder, hip and oblique injuries.
Richardson also was benched for two games last season because he apparently wasn’t handling his preparation with the necessary urgency.
When he’s been on the field, Richardson has been a dynamic running but erratic passer.
He’s rushed for 635 yards and 10 TDs, including a franchise single-season record 499 yards last season, but completed just 50.6 passes with 11 TDs and 13 interceptions. The completion percentage is the worst among quarterbacks with at least 348 attempts in the past two seasons while his 47.7% in 2024 is the worst in franchise history.
The upcoming season is critical for Richardson, and it will start with competing with Jones when the Colts’ offseason workout program opens April 21.
“We’ve had good conversations. Anthony has accepted all of it,’’ Ballard said. “He understands there needs to be some growth in his work. There’s no deferring or defensiveness. It’s like, ‘I know, I’ve got to go to work.’
“I think understanding the enormity of who the quarterback is and what the value of that position is. I don’t want to say his naïve when he first came into the league, but here’s what I know . . . He is really competitive and for a six-game stretch there we saw some really special stuff out of him.
“I know we all want Superman every week and every day, but his background when he came into the league and when we took him, it is what it is. We’ve got to work through that.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.