The Indianapolis Colts season could be on the brink of disaster thanks to an injury suffered by starting quarterback Daniel Jones, who is in the midst of a redemption narrative of his own. Jones suffered a non-contact leg injury, the severity of which has yet to be determined.
Daniel Jones looks to be in serious pain after trying to limp off the field pic.twitter.com/mq2z7PRaqw
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 7, 2025
Jones struggled to get off the field under his own power, and he could very well be out for the game.
Indianapolis Colts depth chart: Who steps in for Daniel Jones?
Without Jones in the fold, the Colts will rely heavily on Riley Leonard. While Anthony Richardson is on the roster, he was placed on injured reserve a few weeks back. Jones could join him, depending on how serious his injury is.
Colts QB depth chart |
|---|
Daniel Jones (injured) |
Riley Leonard |
Anthony Richardson (IR) |
If Jones is forced to miss some time, you can expect the Colts to either activate a quarterback off their practice squad, or sign a reliable veteran to back up Leonard, who has the most experience in this offseason. It's unclear when Richardson would be cleared to come back, but he's also unreliable in big spots, and one of the least-accurate quarterbacks in NFL history (numbers don't lie).
Can the Colts make the playoffs without Daniel Jones?
Jones is out for the game with an Achilles injury. If Jones has indeed torn his Achilles, he will face a nine-month recovery time, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
If the MRI confirms a torn Achilles, Daniel Jones will face a 9-month recovery that puts him right up against the start of 2026 season.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 7, 2025
Jones is a pending free agent, though Indy wants him back. https://t.co/OX9rxKqZUN
As for whether the Colts can make the postseason without Jones, it's impossible to tell at this juncture. The Colts front office built a team that could succeed without a top-tier quarterback. Even they couldn't have expected Jones to play this well, this quickly in their system. So, in theory, whoever replaces Jones should be able to have moderate success.
Now, do we believe the Colts are a force to be reckoned with in the AFC without Jones? Not so much. Jones raised Indy's floor thanks to his MVP start to the regular season. While he's struggled some in recent week, the Colts were still favored to win the South heading into their game against the Jaguars.
Looking at the Colts remaining schedule
The Colts aren't perfect, but with eight wins under their belt so far this season, it'd take quite the collapse to miss the postseason altogether. Indianapolis needs 10 wins, ideally, to cement its postseason spot. Their remaining schedule, I'll admit, is not helpful!
Week | Opponent |
|---|---|
15 | at Seahawks |
16 | vs 49ers |
17 | vs Jaguars |
18 | at Texans |
That is a gauntlet, including the final two games of the season. The Colts and Jags were tied heading into Week 14. Houston has one of the best defenses in football, and should feast against Leonard or any backup quarterback the Colts sign to help them out.
The Seahawks and 49ers are both likely playoff teams in a crowded NFC, but the Colts could surprise Seattle on the road, with a defense built to take advantage of risky decisions the likes of which Sam Darnold makes often.
Nine wins gets the Colts into the AFC Playoff conversation. But will that be enough? Your guess is as good as ours.
Silver lining: Did Colts just gain bargain deal for Daniel Jones following injury?
Though Jones' injury is unfortunate, the Colts might have gained a negotiating chip. He was having a career season and the Colts were going to have to pay him well to keep him around. Now they may not have to pay nearly as much as they were going to. It's not ideal, but it is a silver lining, considering this season is now in flux.
It doesn't mean they'll low-ball Jones, but maybe they get away with less than what they were going to have to pay him. If his injury is an Achilles injury, it would make his return right up against the start of the season. That could give Indy more than enough time to figure out just how valuable he is to their future.
How should the Indianapolis Colts handle Daniel Jones' free agency?
The Colts should focus on either developing Anthony Richardson for yet another year or potentially look at adding someone like Mac Jones in the interim in case Jones isn't ready for the start of the season. I think you also want insurance just in case Jones isn't quite the quarterback he was this season.
It might be too risky to cash in on Jones, knowing it could come back to haunt them. After all, they don't have any first round picks the next two years so turning to the NFL Draft isn't really an option. While the Colts do have Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson as options for next year, neither are as intriguing as having Jones.
As of now, Richardson will probably get one final shot to save his NFL career in Indianapolis because the Colts might not have any other option. Of course they could make some trades, but they feel they're a quarterback away so they need to find the best option to keep them competitive in the future.