Daniel Jones is getting another shot — for real. After hitting free agency, he chose to join the Indianapolis Colts on a one-year, $14 million “prove-it” deal. He will compete with the underwhelming third-year QB Anthony Richardson for the starting role in Indy, and he has a legitimate chance of winning the job.
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For Jones to be a Week 1 starter in 2025 seemed an impossibility just a couple of months ago when he was unceremoniously cut by the New York Giants. Even Jones himself knows he screwed the pooch in the Big Apple. So, he swallowed his pride — and his $160 million deal — and signed what will be the cheapest non-rookie contract for a starting QB in 2025. If he wins the job. If not, he’ll simply become the most expensive backup in football.
His journey is becoming jarringly similar to that of Sam Darnold. Both were high draft picks by New York teams, played under multiple head coaches, and both failed miserably, getting shipped off in the end. Darnold had a couple of years bouncing around before he was able to win a competition against a younger QB in Minnesota to give himself a second chance. That’s exactly what Jones is doing here, and Stephen A. Smith is all for it.
“Just like Darnold last year with Minnesota, one year and $10 million, you go to Indianapolis one year and $14 million. And show that you belong in this league, before you get another damn dime. I like that. Doesn’t bother me,” said Stephen A. on First Take.
Darnold was on track to win the battle with rookie J.J. McCarthy when the rookie QB went down with a season-ending injury. The fact that he didn’t have anyone breathing down his neck surely helped him have a career year, finishing with 4,319 yards and 35 TDs. Jones will be lucky to achieve even a fraction of that success.
There’s certainly the chance, though. Jones is very similar in profile to Richardson, which means he should fit into their run-heavy offense well. It’s a chance for Jones to finally make good on his high draft pedigree, which Shannon Sharpe took the Giants to task for.
“They’re very similar. They were both projects coming out. If Daniel Jones was not coached, and his offensive coordinator was not David Cutcliffe, who was the head coach of Eli Manning, who was the offensive coordinator of Peyton Manning. Ain’t no way Daniel Jones is going in the first round. And he sure isn’t going that high. Canty, I’m sorry, but your team, they f’ed that one up,” said the former tight end.
The Daniel Jones pick wasn’t on current Giants general manager Joe Schoen. But, the debacles of the last few years surely are. He’s hanging by a thread at this point — the fact that he retained his job after Hard Knocks is mind-boggling—and Stephen A. didn’t have a problem throwing a couple more logs on the “Joe Schoen sucks” fire.
“That’s about right, for Daniel Jones.. Not $40 MILLION, like the damn Giants did with Mr. Shame himself—that’s what I call [Giants GM Joe] Schoen—I said S-H-A-M-E, because of how he acted with Saquon Barkley on national television. When they had the cameras rolling, and he was so dismissive and disrespectful and then Saquon goes out and balls out. I call him ‘Shame'”
The Colts are not in great shape—but as you can see, at least they’re better off than the Giants.
They will have one of the most intriguing training camp battles, if not one of the highest-quality ones, in the league this summer. Regardless of who wins, they hope to provide either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones with more support through improved offensive line play and additional weapons in the passing game.
They’ve still got just under $33 million in cap space (17th-most) and will be on the clock at No. 14 during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in April.
