As a potential backup, there could be more to Jones than meets the eye.
Chris Ballard is seeking elevated competition in the quarterbacks’ room this season for the Indianapolis Colts. It is the time for rumors and one that was swirling at the combine, thanks to Rich Eisen, is that Daniel Jones, formerly of the Giants, could be the new backup in town. When most fans hear the name “Daniel Jones”, it doesn’t do much for them. He was the sixth overall selection in the 2019 draft and like most players that go to New York recently, Giants or Jets, he didn’t pan out as planned. While things didn’t work out in New York, it doesn’t mean he couldn’t have a resurgence elsewhere.
Jones isn’t as flashy as someone like Justin Fields, but he definitely has the tools to push Anthony Richardson. With 69 starts under his belt, he has plenty of experience, and while his win-loss record is certainly less than stellar, I can’t hold that against him once again considering where he was playing. After taking the Giants to the playoffs in 2022, he received a massive extension. Was it ill-advised of the Giants to offer such an amount after a tiny bit of success? I believe so, but nevertheless, he showed he could take a team to the playoffs and win on the road. That is no easy task.
The other question that lingers is, whether Jones could be the next Sam Darnold. After leaving the Jets and bouncing around, Darnold came on in a big way with the Vikings, leading them to 14 wins. That could be a flash in the pan, and Darnold could certainly come back down to Earth next year. For a moment, however, Darnold showed the ability teams saw coming out of the draft. Perhaps, given another quality shot with the Colts is exactly what Jones needs to succeed.
A backup quarterback usually isn’t a position that is going to get most fans jazzed. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important to get right, especially next year. Anthony Richardson might not be the answer and Daniel Jones could need a change of scenery. Ideally, if the Colts brought Jones in, he would push Richardson to better, and Richardson would respond with a great season. If that isn’t the case, Jones could be another player that just needed to get the heck out of New York.
