Colts reporter reveals Daniel Jones replacement plan (and fans won't love it)

The Indianapolis Colts might be viewing their near future in a completely different way than fans. Many pundits and fans of the team likely assume that quarterback Daniel Jones needs to be re-signed in free agency, but this cannot be a guarantee.

Jones has the right to sign anywhere, of course, and the Colts themselves might want a different option. One that hasn't had a season end early due to injury three different times in their career, as Jones has done. Jones can run head coach Shane Steichen's system well, but he can also get hurt easily.

James Boyd of The Athletic has put forth another potential idea. Instead of Jones, maybe Indianapolis could think of signing the less expensive Malik Willis, a quarterback, who, like Jones and Sam Darnold, might have figured out how to be a good NFL quarterback on a team with a great offensive-minded head coach.

Indianapolis Colts puts the Malik Willis question out in the open

Willis has spent the past two seasons with the Green Bay Packers and has played in a total of 11 games with three starts after starter Jordan Love has been unable to play. Willis, a third-round draft pick in 2022 for the Tennessee Titans, has been spectacular when he's been asked to play.

He's completed 70 of 89 passes (a ridiculous 78.7 percent) with six touchdowns and no interceptions. His quarterback rating is 134.6. He has also run for three touchdowns. He's been so good that some Packers fans losing patience with Love might hope the team makes Willis the starter.

Willis is a free agent this coming offseason and will be healthy to participate in minicamp, training camp, and Week 1 of the 2026 season. Daniel Jones is unlikely to be fully healed from Achilles tendon surgery to be back for training camp, and could miss several games at the start of next year.

Still, if the Indianapolis Colts are going to spend money on a quarterback, it should be Jones rather than Malik Willis. As well as Willis has played for the Packers, he simply hasn't played enough in four years to prove he could immediately become a long-term QB1 in a system that isn't Green Bay's Matt LaFleur's.

He has attempted just 155 passes and started a total of six games. It would be a huge ask after quite a bit of money has been spent to acquire him for Willis to go from full-time backup to full-time high-end starter.

Part of the problem with the situation is that general manager Chris Ballard gave up two first-round draft picks to get cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets. If he had only dealt one, Indy could have looked to draft the next franchise QB in 2027.

The team is now forced to make an expensive decision, and that should be Daniel Jones over Malik Willis, if that even becomes a possibility.