The Indianapolis Colts haven't done many moves this offseason. The lack of additions has raised some concerns about whether Shane Steichen's team will be good and improved enough to reverse last season's disappointing outcome.
Of course, as a quarterback-centric league, plenty of the discourse has also revolved around Daniel Jones. While GM Chris Ballard did the right thing by giving him a big-money/short-term deal that allows the team to move on from him if he doesn't play well, his injury concerns cast doubts about his early-season availability.
That's why the fans might be thrilled to know that it shouldn't be an issue. ESPN Colts insider Stephen Holder reached out to renowned orthopedic surgeon and medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek about Jones' potential recovery timeline, and the former New York Giants draft pick should be ready to roll for Week 1.
Daniel Jones should be back to full strength in Week 1
"Jones' surgery was performed by renowned surgeon Dr. Martin O'Malley, who also performed Achilles repairs on NBA stars Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers," Holder wrote. "Tatum recently returned to the lineup less than 10 months after surgery following his injury in last season's playoffs and has played impressively. Basketball involves much more explosive movements and more cutting than Jones would typically perform as a quarterback, Kremchek said. That, he added, means it's reasonable to expect Jones to have a shorter return timeline."
Jones tore his Achilles tendon on December 7. He was also dealing with a fractured fibula. These types of recoveries take months, and some players struggle to recover their confidence and mobility after going through this demanding process.
However, Jones should have more than enough time to ramp things up before taking the field for the season opener. The Colts looked like a Super Bowl-caliber team in the first half of the season, and the lack of free-agency moves shows that they firmly believe they can still be that team again in 2026.
This team won't have a first-round pick because of the Sauce Gardner trade. They've also lost key pieces like Michael Pittman Jr. and Braden Smith, and bringing in multiple players with ties to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo backfired last season, so taking that same approach to this free-agency period is admittedly concerning.
Steichen and Ballard need Jones to be the same player he was upon his arrival. Their seats are a bit lukewarm, and having him struggle while everybody else in the division got better might seal their fate before Week 10.
Ballard drew some criticism for doubling down on Jones, given his history of neck injuries and inconsistencies, when he could've just given Kyler Murray $1.5 million to take the reins of the offense. The backlash would undoubtedly be even harsher if Jones were to miss the first chunk of the season. Now, it looks like he may have the last laugh in this situation.