It is funny how the NFL works. One minute you're the "future of the franchise" in the biggest media market on the planet, and the next, you're both wearing different jerseys, cheering each other on from across the country.
The story of Saquon Barkley, Daniel Jones, and the Indianapolis Colts is a weirdly poetic one. It's a tale of two friends who were essentially run out of New York, only to find that the grass actually is greener when you leave the Meadowlands. While Barkley found his "happily ever after" in Philadelphia with a Super Bowl ring, Jones took a much more scenic, and frankly more surprising, route to relevance that led him straight to Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Giant breakup and the path to Indy
Everyone remembers the messy divorce in New York. The Giants essentially told Saquon Barkley he wasn't worth the long-term investment, letting him walk to a division rival. They kept Daniel Jones, gave him a massive $160 million contract, and then watched the wheels fall off almost immediately.
By mid-2024, the Giants had seen enough. Jones was released, ending a tenure that was as polarizing as any in New York sports history. He spent the rest of that season on the Vikings' practice squad, which felt like a "rock bottom" moment for a former top-ten pick.
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But then came the 2025 offseason.
The Indianapolis Colts were in a weird spot. Anthony Richardson, the high-upside phenom, was struggling with consistency and health. Chris Ballard, the Colts GM, needed a veteran who could actually execute Shane Steichen’s offense without a catastrophic turnover every three plays. Jones signed a one-year, $14 million "prove it" deal.
Most people laughed. The internet was filled with memes about the Colts being the "retirement home" for failed first-rounders. But then, Week 1 happened.
Why Saquon Barkley is Daniel Jones' biggest fan
Even though Saquon Barkley was busy smashing records in Philly—honestly, his 2,005-yard regular season in 2024 was some of the most dominant football we've seen since Adrian Peterson—he never stopped watching Indy.
"Outside of the Philadelphia Eagles and myself, I want no one else to perform at a high level more than Daniel Jones," Barkley said recently. It’s not just PR talk. These guys were in the trenches together for five years. They took the blame for a lot of organizational failure.
Barkley's success with the Eagles actually provided a blueprint for Jones. It proved that if you take a talented player out of a dysfunctional environment and put them behind a top-tier offensive line, they look like stars again.
The numbers in Indianapolis
Under Shane Steichen, Jones didn't just survive; he thrived. Before a late-season injury, Jones was putting up numbers that made the Giants' front office look, well, let's just say "not great."
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- Completion Percentage: 68% (Top 6 in the NFL)
- Yards Per Attempt: 8.1
- Passer Rating: 100.2
- Interceptions: Only 8 through 13 games
He was playing efficient, smart football. He used his legs when he had to, but he finally looked like a quarterback who could read a defense without panicking. He and Jonathan Taylor became one of the most effective backfield duos in the league, helping the Colts jump to an 8-2 start and the top of the AFC scoring charts.
The Achilles heel of the 2025 season
Just as the "Daniel Jones in Indy" hype reached a fever pitch, disaster struck. In Week 14, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones tore his Achilles.
It was a gut-punch.
Suddenly, the conversation shifted from "How much will the Colts pay him?" to "Is he ever going to play again?" It’s the cruelest part of the sport. Jones was playing for his career, finally proving the doubters wrong, and his body gave out.
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Now, as we head into the 2026 offseason, the Colts are at a crossroads. Chris Ballard has publicly stated that there is "mutual interest" in bringing Jones back. They even traded away high-level draft assets for Sauce Gardner, a move many insiders believe was a signal that they aren't looking to draft a rookie QB. They are all-in on the veteran route.
What most people get wrong about this situation
People love to label players "busts." It’s easy. It fits in a tweet. But the Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones situation shows that context is everything.
Barkley went to Philadelphia and became the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Jones went to Indianapolis and, for 13 games, looked like a top-10 quarterback. The common denominator? They both left a Giants team that was struggling to build a cohesive unit.
The Colts aren't just looking at Jones as a "stopgap" anymore. They are looking at him as a guy who can win now. Even with the Achilles injury, the team sees a "freaky" athlete who rehabs like a madman.
What happens next?
If you're a Colts fan or just following the drama, keep an eye on these specific moves over the next few weeks:
- The Contract Extension: Look for a deal similar to the ones Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold signed—incentive-heavy but with enough guaranteed money to show Jones he’s the guy for 2026.
- Backup Insurance: Since Jones might not be 100% by Week 1, expect the Colts to be aggressive in the "high-end backup" market. Names like Sam Howell or even a veteran like Geno Smith might be in the mix.
- The Anthony Richardson Factor: Richardson is still there, but his role is increasingly uncertain. If the Colts commit long-term to Jones, a trade involving Richardson becomes a very real possibility.
The connection between Saquon, Daniel, and the Colts is really a story about second chances. Barkley got his, and he used it to get a ring. Jones got his, and while the injury delayed the celebration, it seems Indianapolis is ready to bet on him one more time.
To stay ahead of the curve, monitor the NFL's legal tampering period in mid-March. This is when the Colts will have to decide if they want to pay for the 100.2 passer-rating version of Jones or if the risk of the Achilles injury is too high to ignore.