Where have you gone, Jaylon Jones? The Indianapolis Colts cornerback was a full-time starter as recently as 2024, and he wasn't terrible. Indy didn't fully agree with that, however, and signed Charvarius Ward in free agency and then traded for Sauce Gardner in the middle of last season.
If that didn't push Jones completely off the depth chart once he returned from a hamstring injury he originally suffered in training camp. He aggravated the issue in Week 1, and then he didn't return until Week 9. By then, he had no spot to play.
Gardner and Ward, barring something unforeseen, aren't going anywhere. Jones also isn't going to play in the slot, as he isn't that type of corner. Indianapolis also signed Cam Taylor-Britt (for some reason) in free agency. The latter hasn't been good recently, but he did play under current Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo when both worked for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jaylon Jones might have played himself off of the Indianapolis Colts
At best, Jones seems third on the depth chart behind the above-mentioned players as well as Mekhi Blackmon, who joined the team last year. This is a startling fall for a player who was injured in the first half of last season, but pretty decent the season before.
In 17 starts in 2024, Jones had a solid quarterback rating allowed of 85.8, gave up just one touchdown, had two interceptions, and had 10 passes broken up. He was called for a dreadful nine penalties, though. Jones was also good against the run with 27 run stuffs.
If the Indianapolis Colts can't use the services of Jaylon Jones, some team likely could, which makes Jones somewhat of a trade piece, unless other teams have forgotten about the job he did two seasons ago. That is a long time in NFL circles.
Still, the Colts themselves don't appear too sold on the cornerback. Otherwise, after he was a starter for a full season, the team would not have been so quick to find players to take his spot. Are Mooney Ward and Sauce Gardner better than Jones? Sure, but he could be used as a rotational piece, except that he is too buried on the depth chart.
If Ward and Gardner struggle with injuries once again in 2026, it likely won't be Jones that takes their place, but it probably should be. Instead, he might be better suited for a team elsewhere, and let's just hope that team doesn't play the Colts while Jaylon Jones is starting for them.
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