When it comes to determining Daniel Jones future with the Indianapolis Colts, there is a financial component to it, given the hefty contract he signed in the offseason.
Back in March, Jones and the Colts agreed to a two-year, $88 million deal to remain in Indianapolis.
The structure of that contract, however, gives the Colts an out in the offseason, as ESPN's Dan Graziano pointed out recently.
"He's scheduled to earn $38 million in 2027," Graziano wrote. "None of that is guaranteed at the moment -- $10.51 million of it becomes fully guaranteed if he's still on the roster on the fifth day of the 2027 league year."
According to Over the Cap, if the Colts were to cut Jones before that $10.51 million became guaranteed and designate him as a post-June
1 release, the team would create $38 million in 2027 cap savings, with the dead cap hit from Jones' deal being spread out over the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
However, as Graziano also points out, if the Colts would prefer to have Jones as a bridge quarterback in 2027 as the team rebuilds the roster, that remains an option as well.
"If Jones finishes the season playing well, and the team can legitimately talk itself into the idea that he'll be better next year further removed from his Achilles injury, that price could make him an attractive option," wrote Graziano.
By not trading Jones, the Colts give the incoming GM the ability to decide which path will be best. The Colts will also earn quite a bit more in cap savings by moving on from Jones in the offseason than they would have by trading him at this year's deadline.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: The financial element to determining Daniel Jones' future with Colts
