The Indianapolis Colts will be counting on Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback in 2026. They wouldn't have traded two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner if that wasn't true.
But there's still plenty of question as to what kind of contract Jones will play on next season after his current deal expires. It's only being complicated by Jones' current injury status, in which he's playing through a fractured fibula.
Jones was great early in the season, but this injury seems to have limited his overall abilities.
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How much should the Colts pay him? Does he get paid like first-half Jones, fractured-fibula Jones or something in between?
The potential of a $46 million franchise tag comes into play, too.
"The Colts can franchise-tag Jones for $46 million in 2026, and if Jones looks ordinary while he plays through a fractured fibula down the stretch, it might be the most prudent option," ESPN's Bill Barnwell wrote on Thursday. "If in December and January we see the version of Jones who in the first half of 2025 looked like an MVP candidate, he might be able to extract another contract with a multiyear guarantee."
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The Colts have other franchise tag candidates, too, which complicates things here. Barnwell mentions both wide receiver Alec Pierce and safety Nick Cross as possibilities for that contract tactic that can only be used for one player on a team.
"Even if the Colts don't necessarily want to make those moves, having the franchise tag available leaves the organization with leverage as it negotiates potential extensions for Pierce, Cross and edge rusher Kwity Paye," Barnwell writes.
Jones can influence this greatly by how he plays down the stretch and into January. Somehow, he'll make good money next season. The structure remains to be seen.
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