The key to the Indianapolis Colts' success in 2026 will be quarterback Daniel Jones, who is coming off an Achilles tear. If he can pick up where he left off early last season, Indy could compete for the AFC South title. If he struggles, the campaign could be a slog.
Heading into training camp, Jones continues to trend in the right direction.
The quarterback joined the ESPN broadcast of the NFL FLAG Championships on Sunday in Westfield, Indiana, and gave a quick update on his recovery.
"I feel good. Really good," Jones . "Excited to get going. We report tomorrow (Monday), first practice Wednesday, so good to go. I'm excited to get rolling."
Earlier this month, Jones said at a youth camp that he was cleared to "do everything" once camp opened, so Sunday's comment follows that line. During organized team activities and June minicamp, the QB participated in 7-on-7s and individual drills but was held out of any full-team reps. It appears he won't have any limitations when things kick off this week.
Before Jones' appearance on the broadcast, Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who also attended FLAG Championships, was asked about Jones' progress.
"He looks great. He's attacked the rehab process, as good as it gets," Steichen . "He'll be a full participant."
Getting workouts in this summer was step one. Being fully cleared at the start of training camp is a big step two. However, the largest hurdle remains: Looking 100% on the field.
The Colts put all their eggs in the Jones basket this offseason, inking him to a two-year contract and declining to add an experienced veteran backup.
The club and Jones have been extremely positive about the recovery throughout the offseason. However, given the type of injury, there remain questions about whether the QB will be able to bounce back quickly, whether he can push off from that injured leg, whether his accuracy would suffer early in the season and whether he'll be as mobile as he once was. We won't have any answers to those questions until camp kicks into gear.
