Former Duke QB Daniel Jones Not Happy With Direction of Current Team

Before the NFL's trade deadline on Tuesday, former Duke Blue Devils quarterback Daniel Jones was the subject of numerous trade rumors, as the Indianapolis Colts had a fire sale of sorts in recent weeks, trading away DeForest Buckner, Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, and Quenton Nelson.

The latter three names come on the offensive side of the ball. While there was trade speculation on Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor, the Colts opted to keep them for at least the remainder of the season, even amid a 2-7 start this season.

When speaking to reporters on Thursday, Jones said he was not happy to see all of the trades that the Colts made, via FOX 59. (Indianapolis made those trades in part to make the vacant general manager job more appealing to candidates.)

Jones said as a player it's hard to see those trades, because he knows it will be harder for him and his teammates to go out and compete. However, he also noted that those decisions are above his head. He believes the roster as constructed can still compete, but it’s that much harder after losing some of his best protection on the offensive line and two receivers.

Downs and Allen were the two leading receivers on the Colts. Downs caught 33 passes for 354 yards and one touchdown. Allen recorded 40 receptions for 351 yards and a score. The next player on the list is second-year tight end Tyler Warren, who had 38 receptions for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

Jones signed a two-year, $88 million contract extension with the Colts during the offseason after a strong performance in 2025 before suffering an Achilles injury. The former Blue Devils standout was resurrecting his career before the injury.

It usually takes quarterbacks some time to recover from that injury, so it's no surprise Jones hasn't been as effective this season. He's completed 60.3% of his passes for 1,722 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

The Minnesota Vikings would have been an interesting destination for Jones as he spent some of the 2024 season there, but the Vikings traded for their former quarterback Kirk Cousins.

With that being said, Jones' future with the Colts isn't certain past this season. Indianapolis would have an out on his contract. 

The former Duke product will need to use the rest of the season to put up good tape for other NFL teams, so he has a chance of being a starter in 202