Taking the risk of signing Daniel Jones last offseason after a very up-and-down (mostly down) start to his NFL career was, well, quite risky on the part of the Indianapolis Colts and general manager Chris Ballard.
Indy needed to move away from aging old veteran quarterbacks on their last legs, so they zeroed in on Jones, and for at least 11 weeks, it was the right move.Â
Hitching their hopes to aging veteran quarterbacks on their last legs quickly became the Colts' reality once again, though, after Jones went down with a torn Achilles and a broken fibula. So, those aging veteran legs turned into Philip Rivers, who the Colts turned to six years ago already, but needed him once more.
ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano questions whether the Indianapolis Colts made the right call by sticking with Daniel Jones
At the end of the day, it was a call of desperation that went nowhere. Today, Jones, who the Colts extended for two more years, remains the quarterback in the building, and the extension shows the Colts believe he can return to the form he showed early last season and be their quarterback going forward.
That said, one NFL insider questions that decision and recently stressed how important Jones' health is to the Colts ' success.Â
If Jones suffers another long-term injury, the Colts' season is sure to be lost again. There is already the chance that the seven-year veteran will start next season on the sidelines until he's fully recovered. However, if OTAs have shown anything, it looks good for him to start in Week 1, which is welcome news not only for the team but for the fans, too.
Either way, Jones is locked in as the Colts starter for the foreseeable future, but Graziano recently pointed to Jones' injury history, and not just with the Colts, but during his time with the New York Giants, as a reason for serious caution. Furthermore, Graziano wonders why Ballard didn't seek other options rather than sticking with Jones in a recent ESPN article.Â
"The Colts need Jones to be healthy," wrote Graziano, "which he has struggled to be throughout his NFL career. And they need him to perform the way he did before his injury, when he was among the top eight in completion percentage (68%) and Total QBR (63). There were other options on the QB market, but the Colts never wavered. They'd better hope that was the right decision. Jobs and the future direction of the franchise are riding on it."
The Colts are likely hoping for two things. One, that Jones can return to the form he showed before his injury, as Graziano stated. And two, that Jones can replicate a similar career resurgence that resembles Sam Darnold's.
That second hope would be an incredible development for the Colts franchise if it were to flesh out that way, but the first hope is the more important one right now, and needed first.Â
It was a massive risk going with Jones last summer already, but by the sounds of it, Graziano believes the risk is even greater this summer, considering Jones' new deal. Not only are the Colts tying themselves to a quarterback with a checkered on-field resume, but also one with several injuries.Â
Clearly, Ballard and the Colts are banking on Jones. Truthfully, they don't have any other options, unless Riley Leonard or Anthony Richardson are somehow closet Pro Bowl quarterbacks that no one knows about.
Hopefully, Jones does play next season healthy, all the way through. They were on their way to the playoffs before his injury, and they could be playoff-bound again next season if he can stay on the field. That said, Graziano's questions are legitimate, but it's a wait-and-see game for now.Â
Add us as a preferred source on Google