It will be interesting to see where Daniel Jones ends up this offseason. The free-agent quarterback could sign with the Indianapolis Colts when it’s all said and done.
The Colts will look to add competition for young quarterback Anthony Richardson. Plenty of players like Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, and Mac Jones have been linked to the team. Speaking of Joneses, why not Daniel Jones? While the former first-round pick isn’t a big-time superstar, he could give Richardson a good competition in 2025.
The Indianapolis Colts Should Consider Signing Quarterback Daniel Jones
His Career Thus Far
Daniel Jones played his college ball at Duke. After redshirting his first year, he was a starter for three seasons. Jones was the MVP of the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl, passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown in that game. During his senior season, Jones was named the MVP of the 2018 Independence Bowl, where he threw for 423 yards and five touchdowns. He was also MVP of the 2019 Senior Bowl, producing 115 passing yards and a touchdown.
The New York Giants drafted Daniel Jones sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he began the regular season as Eli Manning’s backup. However, he replaced Manning as the starter in Week 3. In his first start, Jones passed for 336 yards with a 112.7 passer rating and two passing touchdowns along with 28 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He became the first Giants’ rookie quarterback to win his first career start since Scott Brunner did so in 1980. Jones was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 3 performance.
During the 2022 season, Jones threw for a career-high 3,205 yards to go along with 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 708 yards and seven touchdowns, which were both career-highs. He led the Giants to the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round. The Giants then signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract.
Last season, Jones was benched and eventually released by the Giants on November 22, 2024. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings seven days later. Serving as Sam Darnold’s backup, he never played a game for the Vikings.
Why the Colts Should Sign Him
Anthony Richardson, who the Colts drafted fourth overall in 2023, hasn’t gotten off to a great start. He has the potential to be a franchise quarterback, but that hasn’t materialized yet. The team needs to acquire someone who can push Richardson to be a better player.
It’s unclear who the Colts will bring in. They would be foolish to acquire Aaron Rodgers, who will part ways with the New York Jets this offseason. He’s 41 years old and has too many accompanying distractions that the Colts don’t need. Indianapolis brought in an old Matt Ryan a few years ago and the experiment didn’t go over so well.
The 27-year-old Daniel Jones is much younger. After losing his starting job in New York, he will want to show that he’s still good enough to be a starting NFL quarterback. He has a lot to prove and could put up a fight with Richardson in training camp. Jones could either win the starting job or fill in nicely if Richardson suffers an injury. While he may not be necessarily the Colts’ best option, the team needs to consider signing him.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images
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