Daniel Jones made the strange jump from a player who underwhelmed wildly on a pricey second contract to one who did not earn a backup job — after signing with the Vikings — into one who has the inside track to start for the Colts a year later.
The latest Trade Rumors Front Office piece explored this dynamic, noting how rare it is for a team to use eight Week 1 starting quarterbacks in a nine-season span (and the big-picture impact Jones suddenly seems to have in Indianapolis). As it stands, Jones is on track to become Indianapolis’ eighth Week 1 starting QB since Andrew Luck‘s shoulder injury shelved him for the entire 2017 season.
Because Richardson missed time during Indy’s offseason program due to reaggravating a shoulder issue that once required surgery, The Athletic’s James Boyd notes Jones has a “significant” lead to become the team’s Week 1 starter. This was set to be an even competition, but with one participant losing so much time and entering after glaring accuracy issues, Jones is poised to benefit.
Based on Richardson’s career arc, this should not surprise. The Colts expressed considerable disappointment in the former No. 4 overall pick last season, benching him for performance and maturity issues, and they have seen him miss 17 games — due to myriad issues — because of injury. Richardson joined first-round busts Akili Smith, JaMarcus Russell and Tim Tebow among the select few of 21st-century QBs to attempt at least 200 passes in a season and complete fewer than 50% of them. On the heels of the Florida product’s concerning 2024, the Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14MM deal that included $13.15MM fully guaranteed.
The Giants demoted Jones after starting 2-8 last season, making the predictable move due in part because of a $23MM injury guaranteed that would have vested had the then-starter failed a March 2025 physical. While the Giants’ benching avoided that money from entering the equation, they cut their six-year starter in November and preempted a post-June 1 2025 release — one that would have allowed them to split the dead money (from Jones’ signing bonus) — as a tool to move on. The Vikings did not sign Jones from their practice squad until January 7, and they still made him a healthy scratch for their wild-card game against the Rams.
Indy’s issues finding a post-Luck solution, with Richardson struggling to become the answer after a line of veterans stopped through town, led to the team outbidding the Vikings for Jones in March. Minnesota made one-year offers to Jones and Darnold, undoubtedly extending a larger proposal to the latter, but did not end up — after passing on an interested Aaron Rodgers — adding a notable bridge option. J.J. McCarthy is almost certain to start in Week 1, as the Colts emerged in the Jones mix days before the legal tampering period. A viable path to a starting job sold Jones on Indy.
Although the Colts have not revealed a Richardson timetable, the third-year passer expects to be ready by the start of training camp. He has now been in Shane Steichen‘s system for three offseasons, but a player that only started one season in college has not logged the reps the team hoped for since being drafted. And his decision to ask out of a Texans game for a play became a flashpoint regarding simmering maturity issues.
Richardson will still have a shot to topple Jones in the fight for the Colts’ starting gig in camp, but he will reenter that pursuit behind on the scorecards.
I still think there is some mental manipulation going on here to attempt to get the most out of AR. Its not even training camp yet.
But I don’t have to be right about that.
Your theory makes sense to me right up until I get to the salary Jones secured from the Colts. I think if plans were to ultimately allow Richardson to take most of the snaps in 2025, they could’ve gotten a backup, who they knew wouldn’t play, for much cheaper.
I think both Ballard and Steichen are smart enough to know that the jig is up. Neither Jones or Richardson is going to perform well enough to keep the GM and HC employed in Indy beyond this season.
I think they invested more in Daniel for this to be the case. He has a legit chance to be a Darnold like bridge guy. If so ARs days are numbered. I mentioned in another post he could be coached up by McVay in my opinion. He’s so raw
They gave DJ a backup contract. Its only 14 million for one year.
I think its just enough to give the appearance of a real competitor, and try for a little positive social pressure on AR.
DJ may still end up with the job, but I think its after AR gets the job snd obviously fails the test midseason.
Meh. I think DJ can win in camp. Better passer too imo. Way more playbook experience
Its about not giving up on your investment.
The Colts have always been aware of his inexperience.
And they need to make a 5th year decision at the end of this year. You need to let him play to get a better picture. His inexperience is further complicated by his injuries.
It was a big investment, and giving up too early is not great asset management.
I agree. Malik Willis didn’t even last 3 years. They could cut their losses and move forward with Daniel. It happens often enough
If AR does win job then pressure is on him to perform all year. No injuries and solid QB play. If colts miss another playoff it’s another wasted year
Malik wasnt a third overall pick though.
Thats a big difference.
DJ is not a savior. The contract reflects that.
Never said he was a savior lol
There is no QB competition. Jones is QB1. That’s how bad Richardson is.
Dan being your starting QB is how bad the FO & coaching staff is as well.
Ball security and turnovers can tank your value as a QB no matter what your other talents are. If Jones corrected this particular glaring hole in his on field experience, I would argue he’s a serviceable QB1 talent.
Those are not his only weaknesses. He stares down receivers, has zero pocket presence, dives shoulder first into tackles, and holds onto the ball waaaaay too long. Not to mention he has had a hard time staying healthy. He’s not a quarterback who can win you games, he can lose games and he can play well enough off of a heavy run scheme. I think he’s a good backup. Nothing more – but I guess we will see how it plays out in Indy
Until they start 2-8, and the interim coach has to do something to shake things up. They both will definitely play this year.
Well yeah, the guy currently able to play tends to have a hefty advantage.
Can you explain how healthy scratches work in the NFL? I don’t understand why you would scratch a backup QB. I’m more of a hockey fan. NHL roster is 23 players but only 20 can dress for the game. Is it similar in the NFL? Even if it is, is it more valuable to have extras at other positions instead of a third string QB?
Yeah, pretty similar. An NFL roster during the season has 53 guys. An active game day roster only has 48. So there are basically always healthy scratches. It’s pretty rare to actually need a third quarterback in a game, but it’s pretty drastic when it happens (and the NFL added the emergency QB rule for that reason). You’ll often see healthy scratches for rookies who haven’t earned the coaching staff’s trust yet or cracked a rotation but are valued too much to try to put on the practice squad and risk losing them to waivers.
Pulling himself out of a game didn’t do much for anyone’s confidence in him.
you can’t come back from that. inexcusable
One QB with a chip on his shoulder to prove his doubters wrong vs. just a lazy QB who quit on his team last year. Geee I wonder you’ll win Thais battle
At what point do they try and convince AR to move positions absolute freak athlete could definitely have success at tight end maybe I mean this really may be his last year on an active roster as a QB if things keep progressing how they are
Glad this isn’t my team.
Aaaaaamen.
If one of them end up looking like the long-term solution at QB, then Steichen and Ballard will have likely saved their jobs. If neither one of them are the solution, then the Colts will be looking for a QB, HC and GM come January 2026.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say both the QBs, the coach, and the GM will all be looking for new jobs this time next year.
It is the NFL, you never know until DraftKings and other gambling partners tell them which way the games need to go.
Duh?
Anthony Richardson may be the only starting QB in the league bad enough to lose his job to Daniel Jones lol
Richardson stunk up Ben Hill Griffin stadium with his bounce passes, staring at his primary receiver while he ran his route letting everyone on the field, in the stadium and at home know where he was going to throw the ball, and his panicking when anybody on the defense got within 10 yards of him and trying to run the ball. It takes a lot for my son to give up on a Gator player and even he asked why Coach Napier was leaving this guy in the game. He should have been tried at wide out or running back. At least he’s set for life with his first round guaranteed money, unless he screws that up too.
Their first mistake was in thinking that someone with virtually no college experience should start immediately in the pros.
To rectify that decision, treat this as his rookie season. Let him sit the entire season, or almost all of it, and then start him in 2026. You’ll learn pretty quickly whether or not you need a QB in the 2027 draft.
It was a very weak QB class to start with. After Young and Stroud, nobody has done anything of note .
Makes me think JJ might be him