The Indianapolis Colts' season was already teetering before QB Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles on Sunday. With Jones now out for the remainder of the year and the Colts out of the playoff picture for the time being, the situation has quickly become dire in Indianapolis.
If the Colts are going to start winning again and save their season, it's possible their quarterback might not come from within. Riley Leonard stepped in on Sunday and did what he could on limited notice, but he might not be ready to win games in a playoff race at this stage of his career.
That begs the question of whether any quarterback the Colts can land at this point in the season is capable of leading the team to the playoffs. Indianapolis now sits third in the AFC South and closes its season with four consecutive games against teams with winning records.
Here's a look at the top options for the Colts to replace Jones, from internal quarterbacks to free agent signal-callers.
MORE: How Daniel Jones injury dooms Colts' playoff chances
Colts QB options to replace Daniel Jones
In-house options
Riley Leonard
After Jones went down, the Colts turned to the sixth-round rookie Leonard, whose inexperience showed in his first meaningful NFL snaps. An athletic quarterback with a high motor at Duke and Notre Dame, Leonard showed limitations as a passer during his college career and likely has a long way to go in that department if he wants to stick at the NFL level. For now, though, Leonard might be the top option the Colts have, even as he battles a knee injury of his own.
Anthony Richardson
The Colts would have turned back to Anthony Richardson after Jones' injury if the third-year quarterback was healthy, but Richardson is still recovering from an orbital bone fracture he suffered in a pregame exercise incident in October. While it's been nearly two months since the injury, Pro Football Talk reported Monday that the Colts don't know whether Richardson will be cleared to return at all this season, meaning Indianapolis just can't count on him being an option at this point.
MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture after Week 14 games
Free agent options
Taylor Heinicke
Ranking as perhaps the top free agent QB on the board, veteran Taylor Heinicke was released by the Los Angeles Chargers after training camp and hasn't found a new home yet. The 32-year-old has 29 career starts under his belt with a 13-15-1 record, throwing 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Heinicke's high-effort mentality made him a fan favorite in Washington for a bit, and he has enough experience that he could theoretically step in and play quickly if he's stayed in shape.
Currently on another roster
Joe Flacco
The trade deadline has passed and Joe Flacco remains on the Cincinnati Bengals' roster, so the only way to bring him to Indianapolis would be through a release. If Flacco requested his release, would it be granted? The Bengals aren't officially out of contention yet, but their path is extremely narrow in the AFC North at 4-9. Flacco, meanwhile, has proven capable of stepping in and playing competent football on less than a week's notice, and he has experience in coach Shane Steichen's system from last season.
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Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson is in the same boat as Flacco, as he would need to convince the Giants to release him. Given he is the No. 3 quarterback for a team tied for the worst record in the NFL, that likely would not be hard. Wilson fell out of favor in New York early on this season and slid to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston after Brian Daboll was fired in November. Whether the Colts believe Wilson would be a meaningful upgrade might be the better question.
C.J. Beathard
The Colts could sign C.J. Beathard without a release, as the veteran is on the Detroit Lions' practice squad and is vulnerable to being poached. The former San Francisco 49ers starter and Jacksonville Jaguars backup has made only 13 career starts, but he was a steady hand behind Trevor Lawrence over the last few seasons and won his only start of the last five years when he stepped in for Lawrence in 2023.