NGT: Daniel Jones signs with Colts

[Trench]

I really see little point in trying to spin DJ signing a $14 million contract with the Colts to compete for a starting job as an indication that DJ is considered a poor QB or only capable of being a backup.  His salary was significantly more than your backup QB makes.  It was also less than a quality proven starter would make.  It's essentially a prove it deal for a former starter.

In reality, the only quality indicators moving forward will be seeing of DJ wins the starting role, and if he does, how well he plays.  That, at least in my mind, is the reality of the situation.

Personally, I put the chances of DJ starting at 50/50 and playing well at less than that.  He has a lot going against him at this point.  There is the crash and burn with the Giants.  There may be a deficit from his multiple major injuries that impacted his throwing.  There is the staying healthy after multiple serious injuries. 

I wish him luck.

The way I look at it is 14 million is nowhere near starting QB money and is closer to backup type money (well paid backup of course) so in my mind they are rolling the dice maybe he will find something- but the 14 million saves them if he winds up being the backup.

[babywhales]

Jones struggles with in game processing, pre and post snap. He needs to prove he can do that first and foremost.

14 mill is a great price for him. 

If he was only making 14 mill he would still be on the Giants

[MightyGiants]

The way I look at it is 14 million is nowhere near starting QB money and is closer to backup type money (well paid backup of course) so in my mind they are rolling the dice maybe he will find something- but the 14 million saves them if he winds up being the backup.

$14 million is a bit of a no man's land.  Too low for a starter and too high for a backup

[EDjohnst1981]

Yeah, it's Richardson's job to lose. 70/30 AR starts week 1 is my thinking (if healthy).

When you have have two dreadful QBs you don't have a QB

I'm glad this isn't the Giants problem any longer.

[Trench]

$14 million is a bit of a no man's land.  Too low for a starter and too high for a backup

That's why I feel Jones isn't being paid to be a starter for the Colts. They simply aren't sure if he's good enough and their $$ offer reflects that.

[DaveBrown74]

I would describe what Indy is doing with Jones as bringing him in as a "plan B" for AR. That's a little bit different from "backup" and, I would suggest, slightly higher status than a pure backup (for now).

I firmly believe that AR is still the presumptive starter there. Obviously, based on the way his first two seasons have gone, between durability issues and poor performance, he is on shaky ground. However, as I mentioned earlier he is still only 22, and they did use a first round pick on him. I view the likelihood of Jones beating out a healthy AR for the week one starting role as very low. I think the Colts, after only two years with AR and really only one year of anything resembling a real sample of play, almost certainly want to "see it through" with him. I suspect that means they need to see acceptable results this season, or they will make a change at some point during the season. That could be as early as week two or three, or it could happen much later, or possibly not at all if AR happens to suddenly play well and never gets hurt. We'll see.

Do I think Jones has any chance at all of beating out a healthy AR for the starting job in week one? Yes. But I view that as unlikely, even if he has a somewhat better camp and preseason. I think you'd have to see fairly obvious and dramatic disparity in camp and the preseason for Jones to be under center for the Colts in week one with AR completely healthy. That doesn't mean AR's leash is remotely long though. I suspect it is not.