For the first two months of the season, quarterback Daniel Jones looked like a completely different player than he had in previous years.
But over the last few weeks, he’s looked like the player multiple franchises moved on from — and he’s reminded everyone watching why the Indianapolis Colts still have some very difficult decisions to make about their future under center.
James Boyd of The Athletic floated a rather surprising idea: instead of inking Jones to a long-term deal worth $50 million per year, perhaps the Colts should place the franchise tag on the QB instead.
“Jones has really struggled against the blitz lately after torching aggressive defenses earlier this year,” Boyd wrote on November 26.
“Through his first eight games of the season, Jones’ EPA against the blitz ranked second in the NFL at 0.45 despite being blitzed at the third-highest rate (33.8 percent). Since Week 9, while teams have continued to blitz Jones at the fifth-highest rate in the league (32.3 percent), his EPA has plummeted to -0.30 (28th). In other words, Jones has come back down to earth … or he’s simply reverting to his mean.”
Boyd: Indianapolis Colts Should Consider Placing Franchise Tag on QB Daniel Jones in 2026
GettyDaniel Jones will very likely re-sign a new contract with the Indianapolis Colts, but should they place the franchise tag on him instead?
“Countering the blitz has never been his strong suit, and if Jones and the Colts are unable to find a solution for dealing with extra pressure, it’s worth questioning how much Indianapolis should invest in him long term, which is where the franchise tag could come in handy,” Boyd added.
Noting the franchise tag would be $46.1 million next year, Boyd acknowledged that tagging Jones would very likely prevent Indy from retaining any of its top pending free agents.
“One of the biggest cons is that if Indianapolis tagged Jones, his full salary would count against the team’s 2026 cap and limit its flexibility to tweak the rest of the roster around him,” Boyd wrote. “Keep in mind, wide receiver Alec Pierce, right tackle Braden Smith and strong safety Nick Cross, among others, are also playing out contract years.”
Through 10 games with the Colts in 2025, Jones has completed 223 of 319 passes (69.9%) for 2,659 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, with a passer rating just over 100.
That’s a dramatic improvement over his final two seasons with the Giants, when he posted a combined 76.6 passer rating with 2,979 yards, 10 touchdowns and 13 picks over 16 games in 2023–24.
Jones’ Recent Inconsistencies Do Raise Legit Questions
Boyd has a point about Jones’ recent fall-off. The first eight weeks, Jones went 183-for-254 (about 72.0%) for 2,200 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. That’s 8.7 yards per attempt and a TD rate that put him comfortably among the league’s top passers. He was sacked just 17 times in those eight games.
Since then, the shine has dulled a bit. Over his last two outings, Jones has completed 40 of 65 passes (61.5%) for 459 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, with four more sacks, bringing his season total to 21.
If Indianapolis is going to pay him like he’s the long-term answer, the team has to be convinced that the first eight weeks — not his most recent stretch — is the truest version of who he is.
Slapping a $46 million franchise tag on him in order to better gauge his potential for an extra year seems like a steep price to pay — but so does inking him to a $120-150 million deal when questions exist about what he can really be.
The Colts aren’t in an enviable position, but if Jones plays well in the team’s remaining games, he can go a long way to silencing the doubters and securing his position for the next several years.
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