The Indianapolis Colts weathered uncertainty in their quarterback room since Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury, but Monday night brought clarity to the quarterback situation in Indianapolis moving forward.
Ahead of a Week 16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Colts made room for DeForest Buckner on their 53-man roster by waiving former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Rypien to activate the former Pro Bowl defensive tackle off injured reserve.
The move left just Philip Rivers and rookie sixth-round pick Riley Leonard on the 53-man roster while Jones and former No. 5 overall pick and Anthony Richardson remain on injured reserve.
Jones, who spent the end of last season with the Vikings before joining Indianapolis, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 14 after an impressive 8-5 start to the season.
The former New York Giants castaway was poised to earn himself a multiyear deal with the Colts before the unfortunate injury, which puts his future in Indianapolis into question.
Meanwhile, Richardson has returned to practice after suffering a scary eye injury that sidelined him for most of the season.
Colts QB Situation With Daniel Jones Will Be Vital for Vikings to Monitor
GettyIndianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones
For 12 games, Jones appeared to be this season’s Sam Darnold and was poised to be the No. 1 quarterback free agent entering the offseason.
That may still be the case after the 28-year-old quarterback averaged a career-high 238.5 yards passing per game along with 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions, a posted a 100.2 quarterback rating, the highest in his career.
However, his injury makes the situation in Indianapolis complicated — and one the Vikings should monitor.
The Colts invested the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 draft on Richardson, who seemed out of the picture for Indianapolis after Jones won the starting job from him last summer.
Jones is unlikely to be available to start next season with the extended recovery timeline of his Achilles injury, opening a potential door for Richardson to have one final chance before the end of his rookie deal.
The Vikings could make an offer to Jones to rehab in Minnesota and be a midseason insurance policy to J.J. McCarthy.
Meanwhile, if the Colts are adamant on keeping Jones, they would be wise to move Richardson and recoup some draft capital for the young quarterback, making Richardson also a potential quarterback target for Minnesota.
The Colts could find themselves looking for a third option at quarterback next offseason as well, and many quarterback dominoes don’t fall until the situation in Indianapolis is settled.
Vikings Facing Uncertainty With JJ McCarthy Opens Door for Former Draft Target at QB, Justin Fields
GettyVikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy
Finding a viable veteran quarterback to compete with McCarthy will be a priority for the Vikings, who watched the young quarterback suffer three injuries this season after he missed his entire rookie season a year ago.
Many names are floating through the NFL ecosystem at the moment, and among them is a potential reunion with former draft darling and Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
“No, Fields hasn’t played consistently well enough for any of his three teams, but his replacements didn’t play any better. At the very least, it’s fair to ask if Fields has ever been put in the best position to succeed. That’s why it’s up to Fields to find the right landing spot, as Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold and Mac Jones have all recently done,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote. “Fields should seek out the Kansas City Chiefs, Colts or Vikings.”
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio previously reported that the Vikings wanted to make a push to land Fields in the 2021 draft but did not have the resources to leapfrog the Bears.
That was under the previous regime of Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer, however, Kevin O’Connell’s reputation as a quarterback redeemer could make Fields a viable target this spring.
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