Colts place rarely used transition tag on QB Daniel Jones - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts have taken the first step in ensuring that impending free agent quarterback Daniel Jones sticks around, placing the seldom-used transition tag on the veteran.

The tag guarantees the Colts the right of first refusal for Jones, preserving the right to match any competing offer sheet he might sign with an interested club. The news comes ahead of Tuesday's deadline to assess franchise or transition tags on players who are scheduled to hit free agency next week.

If Jones does not sign a competing offer sheet, he would earn a one-year guaranteed salary of $37.833 million.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard said last week that contract talks with Jones and another key free agent, receiver Alec Pierce, were proceeding well. The franchise tag (and, presumably, the transition tag), «is a tool we have. It's not what we want to do, though.»

He added, «When both sides are driven to get it done, it usually works out in the right way.»

While the franchise tag often is used multiple times each year, the transition tag is used much less. No quarterback has been tagged with the transition tag since ESPN Research began tracking such moves in 2000. Only 20 players have been given the transition tag since then (though several were rescinded), with safety Kyle Dugger being the most recent in 2024.

Most often, players reach a deal with their team after being tagged. Only four players have played an entire season under the transition tag since 2000, with running back Kenyan Drake being the latest in 2020.

Jones resurrected his career with the Colts in 2025, leading Indianapolis to new heights with its record-setting offensive performance during the first half of the season. Through 10 weeks, when the Colts