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Daniel Jones has found a new home in the NFL and is getting a healthy amount of dimes in the process. The veteran quarterback is finalizing a deal to join the Indianapolis Colts, according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones. As for the particulars of the deal, ESPN reports Jones is receiving a one-year, $14 million contract to head to Indy.
The Colts had been one of the more notable suitors for Jones, and the quarterback was reportedly deciding between joining them or sticking with the Minnesota Vikings, who he signed with in the middle of last season. With this deal now being finalized, Jones will join a Colts team where he is slated to compete with incumbent starter Anthony Richardson.
It’s been a roller coaster of a calendar year for Jones. After the New York Giants tried (and failed) to select a quarterback atop the 2024 NFL Draft, the club stuck with Jones as its starter heading into the regular season. After starting the first 10 games of the season with New York and the team dropping to a 2-8 record, Jones was benched for Tommy DeVito, and just days later Jones was granted his request to be released, ending his six-year stint with the Giants after the team drafted him No. 6 overall in 2019.
From there, Jones signed on with the Vikings practice squad and eventually made his way onto the active roster. However, Jones never played a snap for Minnesota and merely provided depth to the position group behind Sam Darnold. With Darnold signing with the Seahawks in free agency, there did appear to be a window for Jones to remain in Minnesota as either a stopgap starter before J.J. McCarthy — the team’s 2024 first-round pick — was ready to take the reins or simply serve as his backup.
Instead, Jones goes to Indy where it appears he could legitimately rival Richardson for the starting job. The 2024 campaign was tumultuous for Richardson — the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft — as he was benched midseason due to poor performance. He eventually found his way back to the starting job, but still struggled with consistency in the passing department. In 11 starts last season, Richardson completed just 47.7% of his passes.
If Richardson doesn’t turn the tide this summer, that could create an opportunity for Jones to leap atop the depth chart, which could be a key reason he’s opting to join the Colts.
