Daniel Jones will be ready when the Colts open training camp.
Jones confirmed Monday on The Pat McAfee Show that he will fully participate when training camp begins this week at Grand Park. The Colts quarterback said the plan is for him to return to 11-on-11 team drills, adding that he is “ready to go” after working his way back from
the Achilles injury he suffered last season in December.
That is a significant step for Jones and the Colts, who needed some clarity at quarterback before camp opened. Jones had already participated in seven-on-seven drills during OTAs and continued doing extra sprint work after practice, but training camp will represent a more complete test. The speed, traffic, pocket movement and timing of 11-on-11 work are different from offseason drills, especially for a quarterback coming off an Achilles tear.
Jones’ goal throughout the recovery process was to be fully ready for camp, and he appears to have reached that point. The injury happened in Week 14 against the Jaguars, meaning Jones will be returning to full participation about seven and a half months later.
For Indianapolis, this removes one of the first major questions of camp. The Colts do not need Jones limited, eased in slowly or missing key reps while trying to build chemistry with the offense. They need him working with the first-team unit and proving that last season’s success before the injury can carry over.
Before getting hurt, Jones had thrown for 3,101 yards and 19 touchdowns in 13 starts, while also adding five rushing touchdowns. Among qualifying quarterbacks, he ranked third in yards per attempt, sixth in QBR and seventh in passing yards, while the Colts’ offense led the league in points per game through Week 11.
The bigger question still has to be answered on the field. Being cleared for training camp is good news, but it does not guarantee Jones will be the same player right away or that the offense will immediately pick up where it left off. He still has to show that the Achilles is not limiting his movement, confidence or ability to operate under pressure.
Still, this is the update the Colts needed. Their season depends heavily on Jones giving them stable quarterback play.
