Daniel Jones has had a rollercoaster ride over the last few seasons. After starting extremely slow in his career, he exploded in the final year of his rookie deal with the New York Giants, earning a massive paycheck for his next contract. However, injuries and a clear drop in production led the Giants to eventually move on from him.
Now he’s joined the Indianapolis Colts on a prove-it, one-year deal. But with the injury to Anthony Richardson, he has a chance to take over as QB1 and try to carve out a niche for himself in the NFL. But, for one analyst, one key area is holding Jones back, and it isn’t a tag he can remove in just one year.
Can Daniel Jones Get the Monkey Off His Back?
Over the last few years, players who were thought to have plateaued in their careers have seen a grand resurgence. After Baker Mayfield, it was Sam Darnold in 2024 who completely rebuilt his image as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
Now, his teammate for a short while also has the chance to do the same with the Colts. With a roster that feels playoff worthy, Indianapolis barely missed on a postseason berth last year.
And with the Richardson experiment likely ending soon, Jones could sneak his way into the conversation about their future. However, on the latest episode of the Ross Tucker podcast, legendary NFL analyst Greg Cosell broke down the one thing that has held the 28-year-old quarterback back.
First, he had some positives to share about the Colts’ roster for next season. “They can run the ball. I don’t know how many people are aware of what Jonathan Taylor did over the last eight or nine games last year.”
“Daniel Jones will be the starter for them.”
“Jones is athletic as far as running out of the pocket. But one thing Jones has never done well, and I think it’s really hurt him, is he’s not very good at movement within the pocket.”@GregCosell on the Colts Quarterback: pic.twitter.com/HoMfzW0Aj1
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) July 12, 2025
On the year, Taylor finished with 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns, but it was an incendiary final four-week stretch, where he tallied over 100 yards each time, with two games exceeding the 175-yard mark, including a season-high 218 yards in Week 16.
Between the offensive line, the run game, and some of the skill players on the roster, Cosell does see the upside for Indianapolis. But he also knows the problems that could come with Jones as the starter.
“He needs a good O-line,” he began, before explaining the major problem for his failures with the Giants. “Jones is athletic as far as running out of the pocket. But one thing Jones has never done well, and I think it’s really hurt him, is that he’s not very good at movement within the pocket.”
Calling his movement “stiff,” Cosell explained that Jones struggled with sliding and moving a pace or two within the pocket. If the Colts’ offensive line, which ranked 16th on PFSN’s OL+ metric, can hold up, Jones could have ample time in the pocket to make better decisions.
And better production could also help with the other worry around him, which is the injury history. Playing more than 11 games just once in the last four years, there are legitimate questions about the injury history Jones is walking in with.
Ultimately, Jones’ performance, at least until Richardson is back to full health, determines the quarterback’s future with his new team.
