Daniel Jones Was Seeking $50M Per Year From Colts On Long-Term Deal

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the agents for Colts QB Daniel Jones started negotiations asking for $50 million a year on a long-term deal. 

That was a counteroffer to the initial proposal from the Colts which was in the range of $33.5 million per year, similar to what the Seahawks gave QB Sam Darnold last year. Breer says it was also under the assumption that the Colts would use the franchise tag at around $44 million. 

Instead, the Colts used the transition tender on Jones ahead of last week’s deadline. 

Breer says there are reasons for both sides to work to reach a compromise on a long-term deal rather than playing out the season on the tag but it remains to be seen how talks will proceed. 

The transition tender is less than the exclusive tag, coming in at $37.833 million guaranteed for the 2026 season. It gives the Colts the right of first refusal to any offer sheet a team gives to Jones. 

However, it does not entitle the Colts to any draft picks if they decline to match, making it less protective than the franchise designation. 

Should Jones sign an offer sheet with the Vikings or any other team, the Colts would have five days to match the offer. An offer sheet can come at any point between now and the July deadline for a long-term deal.  

Jones, 28, was selected by the Giants with the No. 6 overall pick out of Duke in the 2019 NFL Draft. He finished the final year of his four-year, $25,664,056 rookie contract that included a $16,684,768 signing bonus. 

In 2025, Jones appeared in 13 games for the Colts and completed 68% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also added 164 yards rushing and an additional five touchdowns.

We’ll have more on the Colts and Jones as the news is available.