Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was widely projected to be one of the most highly sought after, and highly-paid, players in free agency over the offseason. Jones, who is on the final year of his current contract, resurrected his career in Indianapolis this season after being left for dead after six largely underwhelming seasons with the New York Giants.
Entering Week 14, Jones had thrown for 3,041 yards and 19 touchdowns on the season. He had the Colts in the thick of the playoff picture in the AFC, and he had even generated some early-season MVP buzz. It was one of the better redemption arcs in the league this season.
Daniel Jones' Achilles injury could have a major impact on his free agency
But, that all changed during the Colts’ contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Late in the first quarter of the contest, Jones dropped back to throw but dropped down to the field with a noncontact injury. In clear discomfort, Jones reached for his lower right leg and then proceeded to slam his helmet on the field several times. It's possible he understood the severity of the injury immediately.
Here’s the play on which Daniel Jones was hurt: pic.twitter.com/RLJkYCAn4b
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 7, 2025
Jones exited the game and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the contest with an Achilles injury. We’ll have to wait for an official diagnosis, but an “Achilles injury” usually just means one thing.
If the injury is as serious as it appeared to be, it could alter everything for Jones and the Colts. Off top, their playoff hopes would take a huge hit. They were forced to turn to inexperienced rookie quarterback Riley Leonard following Jones’ injury. It seems unlikely that they’d be able to remain in the hunt without Jones, who has been a major catalyst for the team this season.
There will be a long, difficult road to recovery ahead for Jones, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be ready for the start of next season. As a result, the injury could very well impact the type of offers he’s going to get in free agency over the offseason, either from Indianapolis or other outside suitors. Suddenly, Jones will be 29-year old quarterback coming off a serious Achilles injury.
Jones was projected to earn a deal in excess of $100 million over the offseason. The Colts reportedly wanted to lock him up on a long-term deal. But now, teams could be hesitant to break the bank for Jones before seeing proof that he can still be the same guy that he was pre-injury. A lot of players never got back to full form after an Achilles injury. Multi-year offers could potentially turn into one-year prove-it deals for Jones. The totals and guarantees will likely shrink dramatically.
It’s unfortunate, but it’s the reality in the NFL. One injury can change everything for a player, especially a player who isn’t locked into a long-term contract.