The Indianapolis Colts were supposed to be better than this, much better.
At least, that’s how the Colts viewed themselves heading into the 2026 NFL season. They had begun last season 8-2 before everything went down the drain. That’s the team they were looking at themselves as.
They had Sauce Gardner for a full season. They got a full recovery from injury out of Daniel Jones. Jonathan Taylor was happy in Indy and signed an extension in the offseason.
All would be good, right?
Well, not exactly.
It’s NFL trade deadline day, and the Colts are in shambles.
They’ve traded away Quenton Nelson. They’ve traded away DeForest Buckner.
And even more than the players in the final year of their contracts who could be moved on Tuesday, it’s Taylor and Jones being involved in trade rumors that really sums up this miserable season.
The QB and RB aren’t free agents at the end of the year. They were supposed to be multi-year stars for the Colts.
And while it’s not guaranteed that they move on Tuesday, just the fact that they might be available shows how wrong this has all gone.
A Daniel Jones Mistake?
Daniel Jones’ 2025 season started well but ended with a torn Achilles.
That could’ve been a warning sign, but the Colts decided they needed their quarterback. They gave him a two-year, $88 million contract in the offseason.
The Colts could’ve tried just franchise-tagging Jones to ensure just a single season with him coming off the injury before pursuing a longer deal if he looked healthy.
Instead, the Colts saddled themselves with Jones and also made him tougher to trade. The move hasn’t aged well.
Indianapolis would actually save more money on Jones — or at least spread it out against the salary cap over a couple years — if they cut him in the offseason with a post-June 1 designation. Either way, this Jones era has flopped.
Impossible Jonathan Taylor Decision
The Colts also have to decide whether to deal Taylor, who is under a fair contract through 2028.
Taylor is a running back, and NFL RBs often decline quickly with age. He was supposed to be a leader of a good offense on a good team.
Instead, Indy has to decide just how total this rebuild is. If Taylor moves, that’s a sign that it’s all restarting for the Colts.
Colts’ Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor Trade Rumors Sum Up Miserable Season