The Indianapolis Colts are undergoing a lot of changes as the NFL’s trade deadline approaches on Nov. 10.
GM Chris Ballard has been fired. Star linemen Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner have been traded. Josh Downs, Grover Stewart and Jonathan Taylor remain in trade rumors. Shane Steichen is on the hot seat.
And in Week 8, Daniel Jones was at least temporarily benched for Anthony Richardson.
Jones could keep his starting job, or Richardson could take over. Steichen didn’t want to say definitively one way or the other after the 42-7 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.
The Colts still have Jones under contract next season as he plays on a two-year, $88 million deal.
At this point, it’s looking like a mistake to have given Jones so much money, and the Colts may be looking for an escape hatch.
One team has emerged in new reports and analysis that could have just the answer Indy is looking for.
Colts’ Potential Daniel Jones Trade Partner
Daniel Jones has been linked to a trade to the 6-1 Minnesota Vikings.
Ironically, Jones already has been a member of the Vikings. He ended the 2024 season there after his release by the Giants, although he didn’t play. He watched and learned, then signed with the Colts for the 2025 season.
Now, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes that the Vikings should trade for Jones to take over for Kyler Murray.
“In Minnesota, Jones would be an immediate upgrade over Kyler Murray,” Florio writes. “The difference between Jones vs. Murray could be more significant than the difference between Jonathan Taylor and Aaron Jones/Jordan Mason. Which, if accurate, would result in a bigger overall bump to the offense.”
At this point, there’s also plenty of case to trade Jones away.
“Now that the Colts are in full-blown pre-rebuild mode, trading Jones should be part of the effort to clear the decks (and stockpile picks) for the next G.M.,” Florio writes. “And while the Colts have a window to avoid more than $10 million of Jones’s $38 million compensation package for 2027 via a trade in the early days of the new league year in March, they could get more now from a contender that envisions Jones as an immediate upgrade.”
Support in Indy
Long-time Colts reporter Mike Chappell agreed with this idea on X:
If I’m Carlie Irsay-Gordon, I’d lend Jones my private jet to get him to Minneapolis. His poor season has a lot to do with a bad supporting cast, but getting out of the contract would assist the reboot.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) November 2, 2026
The Colts aren’t worried about the present anymore. Any move they can make to help the future could be worth it. And trading Jones could fit that bill.
Colts Urged To Trade Daniel Jones To 6-1 NFC Team