The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to a new contract with quarterback Daniel Jones that secures him for two years.
The wait is over: the Indianapolis Colts have agreed to a new multi-year contract with quarterback Daniel Jones.
According to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, it's a two-year deal for Jones worth $88 million and over $60 million guaranteed. Based on incentives, the deal can reach $100 million.
The Colts placed the transition tag on Jones on March 3, which will now be rescinded.
For the second year in a row, Jones entered free agency with an eye on the Colts, but under completely different circumstances. Last year, Jones came to Indianapolis as a broken quarterback looking to turn his career around. This year, he had leverage and was able to garner high-end compensation.
The national view of Jones right now compared to this same time last year is quite different.
Last year, the Colts were panned for pitting Jones in a competition with Anthony Richardson Sr. to be the starting quarterback. Both players had a concerning injury history, and Jones lost his starting job and was cut by the New York Giants just 20 months after signing a new $160 million contract.
Neither Jones nor Richardson is beating the injury-prone allegations anytime soon after they both ended last season on Injured Reserve, but Jones put himself back in demand with a standout performance.
Throughout last offseason and training camp, Jones showed head coach Shane Steichen and the offensive coaching staff what they wanted to see in how quickly he could pick up the offense, master it, and guide his teammates through it.
The Colts got off to their best start since the days of Peyton Manning, with an 8-2 record and the offense posting historic efficiency before injuries began to knock the wheels off the wagon. Jones suffered a fractured left fibula midway through the year, which he dealt with for a few weeks before tearing the Achilles in his right leg.
What was turning out to be the best season of football of his life ended long before he and the team intended. Without Jones, the Colts never regained their footing, losing their final seven games, with Jones missing the final four. They would miss the postseason for the fifth consecutive year.
In 13 starts, Jones was 261-of-384 passing (68.0%) for 3,101 yards (8.1 YPA), 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, for a passer rating of 100.2. He also had five touchdowns on the ground.
After his Achilles injury, the Colts are hopeful that Jones will be ready to go again by training camp in late July.