The Indianapolis Colts signed Daniel Jones for $14 million a year, and the reaction to the contract has been polarizing so far. Some NFL analysts believe Jones was overpaid. Especially after his subpar and forgettable performance in the Big Apple. However, other insiders, like Jeremy Fowler, see it as a smart investment.
Advertisement
The Colts have seen their star QB Anthony Richardson sidelined by injuries in each of his first two seasons. He also threw more interceptions than touchdowns in 2024.
So, as Fowler says, people in Indy’s front office and around the team are experiencing some form of “relief” after Jones’ signing. He also stated that some believe Jones has a good opportunity to win the starting role against Richardson.
“They make the Daniel Jones signing happen, and I sense some relief there among some people in Indianapolis that they have more of a backdrop at quarterback if Anthony Richardson doesn’t work out… They feel like they can make it work with Jones, and he very well might earn that job,” the insider said on The Rich Eisen Show.
Jones has shown in the past that he’s a competent QB. Back in 2022, he led the Giants to an upset win over the Vikings in the playoffs. He’s a dual threat who can frustrate opposing defenses when he’s in the zone. The problem is, he hasn’t been able to find that zone since ’22. But maybe he does — and wins the job from Richardson.
Richardson’s camp, however, isn’t concerned about the buzz surrounding Jones as a potential starter. According to Fowler, they believe he would be ready to win the job regardless of who the team signed.
“I talked to someone in Richardson’s camp about this, and I brought up Daniel Jones and some of the things I was hearing,” Fowler detailed. “They said Anthony doesn’t care if they bring in Joe Montana, he’s going to go win that job. Maybe that’s just talk, but I did find it interesting.”
Fowler went on to note that people in Indy liked what they saw from Richardson last year. But it’s the inconsistent play mixed with the durability that has them nervous to proclaim him as the starter.
Furthermore, Fowler pointed out that the Colts paying Jones $14 million means they see a lot of upside in him and that the chances of him starting aren’t small. This means that Richardson is going to have to lock in and impress the coaching staff. Fowler related it to the Raiders last year when they had Aiden O’Connell, but decided to opt for Gardner Minshew as their starter instead.
“On a smaller scale, we saw it with the Raiders last year when they gave Gardner Minshew $12 million and he was competing with Aiden O’Connell. Some people in the building liked O’Connell better, but Minshew had been a financial commitment, so they went with him. Sometimes you see that happening. The money usually talks. In this case, it talks a little bit.”
However, Fowler also recognized Richardson as one of the most exciting talents in the league and noted that the Colts still view him that way. There’s no discounting going on — the team is simply covering its bases in case the issues that have occurred up to this point persist, which is a smart way to operate as a franchise.
Maybe Jones isn’t the flashiest tool in the box, but he’s shown he can get the job done in the past. And perhaps, after sitting and watching from afar these past few seasons, he’s learned some new things we haven’t seen yet. It’ll all be revealed in time — just like the Colts’ decision on who their starting QB for 2025 will be.
