The Indianapolis Colts cannot assume how things will go in free agency with different players. The team might hope to get wide receiver Alec Pierce and quarterback Daniel Jones back, but the players have a right to sign with any team. Indy needs to be aggressive in its pursuit of both.
In his season-end press conference this week, though, Ballard spoke as if Jones's returning to the Colts was a foregone conclusion. He even made mention that while the quarterback was good for the team, the team and the city were good for Daniel Jones. It is bold to speak for someone else.
This is especially true for a player who is likely to earn a lot of money from some team, and that could easily be with the Colts. At least, Indy is clearly interested in re-signing Jones, based on what Ballard told the media on Thursday.
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard seems fairly certain Daniel Jones will re-sign with the team
The general manager said, "I think Daniel Jones has a very bright future here in Indianapolis…Do we feel confident we can get Daniel back, yes."
He better. Indianapolis finished 8-9 this season after beginning 7-1 and trading for cornerback Sauce Gardner. Gardner is a great player, and he will most likely be a fantastic contributor for many years to come, but to acquire him from the New York Jets, Indy gave up its next two first-round draft picks.
That means if Indianapolis wants to take a quarterback as high as the second round, that player will definitely be a much greater risk than taking a QB in round one. Gardner's presence on this year's Colts team made little difference, and the team would have gone 8-9 with or without him. After all, after trading for Gardner, Indianapolis didn't win a game.
Instead of having the 16th overall choice in the 2026 NFL draft, though, Indy won't have its first choice until round two. Gardner better play as brilliantly as a first-round quarterback might have; otherwise, the trade might not have been worth it if the Colts don't re-sign Daniel Jones.
To be fair, Daniel Jones did finally find he was a great fit for an NFL team with the Indianapolis Colts signed him last offseason. He had washed out with the New York Giants. Hopefully, assuming, as Chris Ballard does, that the quarterback returns to Indy, he will pick up where he left off after the first part of the 2025 season.