The Indianapolis Colts have made a major decision regarding the future of quarterback Daniel Jones.
The Colts will use the transition tag on Jones, according to multiple reports. That would allow the team to match any offer Jones receives from another organization, and would set his salary at just shy of $38 million if he plays on the tag in 2026.
While the Colts could have used the franchise tag on Jones, it would have put his salary just shy of $44 million, or about $6 million more than the transition tag. Essentially, the team is taking a calculated risk that Jones will not get a huge offer coming off his Achilles injury, while giving them the right to match it if he does.
The Colts had hoped to negotiate a long-term contract with Jones, but recent reports suggested his demands were higher than they expected. That led to them using the transition tag, though the two sides could still negotiate a long-term deal.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Jones remains open to a long-term deal with the Colts, but could embrace the tag and does not appear to be angry with the team for using it.
Source on Daniel Jones and the tag: ‘He’s not afraid of it.’ Team and player will continue working on a long-term deal, but the tag is something Jones could embrace, too.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 3, 2026
Jones was on his way to a massive payday after leading the Colts to an 8-2 start. Injuries then hit, culminating in the Achilles tear in Week 14 that ended his season and helped precipitate a collapse that led to Indianapolis missing the playoffs entirely. Even with the injury, he threw for 3,101 yards with 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and looked every bit like a long-term solution to the Colts’ long-standing quarterback issues.
