After a seven-game losing streak to end the season, the Indianapolis Colts went 8-9 and missed the playoffs. Three games into that losing streak, quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon.
By the next game, the Colts had a 44-year-old unretired Philip Rivers under center, making for an exciting story, but not much success. With that experiment failing, it was rookie Riley Leonard starting the final game of the season.
While Indianapolis will try to recapture its early-season success, beginning 2025, 8-2, the team has placed Jones under a transition tag. While he is eligible to receive an offer sheet from other teams, the Colts can match any deal.
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Jones is now trending toward having at least one more season with the Colts. However, the team has firsthand experience with a backup who simply can't put together a win. That's why Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic predicts Indianapolis will sign veteran Tyrod Taylor.
"Someone like Taylor would make some sense as a veteran backup to bring into the room," Rosenblatt wrote. "On top of being one of the most well-liked locker-room guys in the NFL, Taylor is a capable quarterback when called upon."
Over his 15-year career in the NFL, Taylor has made 62 starts, going 29-31-1. He even earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2015 with the Buffalo Bills. Over the last two seasons with the New York Jets, he's thrown for 898 yards, eight touchdowns, five interceptions and an 81.6 passer rating.
Set to hit free agency on March 11, his Spotrac market value projects the 36-year-old to sign a one-year, $3.9 million deal. Not only would he bring a decade and a half of experience, but also be extremely affordable.
While there is a belief that Jones will be ready to go Week 1 of the 2026 season, adding Taylor would give the Colts a safety blanket.