Steichen shuts down the quarterback talk
Indianapolis is 2-5 and Shane Steichen has no plans to change quarterback. In the wake of Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the unbeaten Vikings, the head coach said he has not thought about a switch and still has plenty of faith in Daniel Jones. Jones himself said the backing means a lot and that he has to play better.
The numbers explain the pressure. Against Minnesota, Jones went 13-for-22 for 108 yards and took four sacks. With 1:39 left and a chance to take the lead, he threw an interception to safety Harrison Smith two plays into the final drive. Steichen said the plan was to lean on the run, and the Vikings did the rest: they blitzed Jones on 85.2 percent of his dropbacks, the highest rate by any defense in a game since Next Gen Stats began tracking in 2016. Brian Flores’ unit is the league’s most effective at pressuring the passer.
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A season of bad rankings
Among 33 qualified passers, Jones sits 22nd in passing yards per game at 199.7, 27th in completion percentage at 59.6, and tied for 29th with seven interceptions. His EPA per dropback of minus 0.20 ranks 30th, his passer rating of 69.4 ranks 31st, and his 0.6 touchdown passes per game is tied for 31st. The Colts rank 25th in total offense per game. Jones started 2025 strongly, but 2026 has gone the other way.
Why the bench stays empty
The alternatives are thin. Anthony Richardson, a former No. 4 overall pick in his fourth season, has made 15 starts over three years with 13 interceptions, 11 touchdowns and a 50.6 percent completion rate, and the club declined his fifth-year option. Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in his second year, started once as a rookie and finished 39-for-67 for 415 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He is the third quarterback and currently inactive.
Money matters too. General manager Chris Ballard, fired earlier this month, extended Jones in March on a two-year deal worth about $88 million, with $60 million guaranteed. Jones carries a $46.8 million cap hit in 2027. The Colts also sent their 2027 first-round pick away in the Sauce Gardner trade, which limits their options in the draft.
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