Daniel Jones is putting himself on a fast track. The Colts quarterback tore his right Achilles in Week 14 against the Jaguars last December. Six months later, he is doing 7-on-7 drills in spring practice and telling reporters he absolutely expects to start Week 1.
That is bold for an Achilles. Most pitchers, edge rushers, and quarterbacks who tear that tendon are looking at a full 10 to 12 month recovery. Jones is talking nine months.
Shane Steichen sounded thrilled about it. The Colts head coach called Jones running plays with the guys “huge” and a meaningful step toward being ready for training camp next month.
Here is the honest read on this. Jones is doing the smart things on a smart timeline, and the Colts are not going to push him into August work until they are sure the tendon holds up. But the conversation has shifted from “we hope he is ready by October” to “he is on track for September.”
That changes the entire 2026 Colts plan.
Indianapolis gave Jones a 2-year, $88 million extension. That contract was not a hope-and-pray. It was a commitment that he was the quarterback going forward. If Jones is back Week 1, the Colts roll with him and let Anthony Richardson develop in the background. If Jones is not back Week 1, the Colts get dragged back into the same conversation about Richardson taking over.
Jones knows that. He is not just pushing for Week 1 because he loves football. He is pushing for Week 1 because every game he misses is a game where Richardson gets to make his case.
The 7-on-7 work is the right next step. You cannot fake an Achilles in 7-on-7. You have to plant, you have to push off, you have to throw on the move. Getting through those drills without setbacks is the green light for the next stage, which is full team work in late July.
Chris Ballard sounded measured when talking about Jones at the start of the offseason program. The GM said the team has to be smart with his injury. Achilles injuries can take up to 12 months, and rushing a quarterback back early is a way to set the franchise back two years instead of one.
For Colts fans, the news is mostly good. Jones looks like himself. He is throwing the ball well in controlled settings. He is hitting checkpoints on schedule.
The real test is the first time he gets hit. That is six to eight weeks away in a preseason game, if the team even lets him play in one. The Colts are likely going to wrap him in bubble wrap until the season opener.
The bigger question hovering over all of this is what Indianapolis does at quarterback long-term. Richardson is still a project with elite tools. Jones is the guy on the big contract. The Colts cannot run a quarterback room with two starters forever.
For now, Jones is winning the day-to-day battle. He is on track. Week 1 is in play.
Steichen and Ballard will tell you anything more is just spring talk. They are right. But spring talk is better than rehab talk.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
