Tag: Jones

Oct 19, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) speaks with head coach Shane Steichen in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Colts QB Daniel Jones takes field, targets training camp, Week 1

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is targeting Week 1 for his return and taking most of his rehab from a ruptured Achilles in stride this offseason.

Nearly six months removed from season-ending surgery in November, Jones ran through individual drills and threw passes during the start of voluntary team activities in Indianapolis. He confirmed he expects to be the starting quarterback when the regular season begins at home against the Ravens in September and plans to fully participate in training camp.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Definitely still work to be done and progress to be made. So, I think it’s just continuing to get stronger, continuing to run faster, cut harder. And progress kind of, according to the program.”

Head coach Shane Steichen kept the door open for Anthony Richardson, who has requested a trade since the Colts decided to renew their commitment to Jones. Steichen said Richardson hasn’t changed his position on wanting a fresh start, but the coaching staff opted to let him get work with the offense on Wednesday because “there’s the potential he could” be with the Colts next season.

Jones was projected to be mostly an observer in the early portion of OTAs but Steichen expected him to work his way into the mix, too.

“I’m actually not surprised, just because of the way he works,” Steichen said.

Jones had a hot start to the season and the Colts were 8-2 and in competition for the No. 1 seed in the AFC before injuries, a common setback during his time with the New York Giants, struck again.

The Colts were determined to run it back with Jones, signing him to a two-year, $88 million deal to keep him from leaving the franchise searching for yet another starting quarterback.

Riley Leonard is back with the Colts, who signed Philip Rivers out of retirement to start last December with Jones hurt, Richardson (eye) not fully healthy and Leonard fighting a minor knee injury he suffered in relief of Jones at Jacksonville.

The only other quarterback on the roster entering training camp is former Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan. He was signed to the Colts’ practice squad on Christmas Day last season to provide depth.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) lies on the field after being injured against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Report: Browns OT Dawand Jones agrees to reworked deal

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Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones agreed to a restructured deal for the 2026 season, NFL Network reported Saturday.

Jones’ deal was lowered to $1.5 million base pay with $1.145 million of it being guaranteed. He played in just three games last season due to a season-ending LCL tear in his right knee.

Jones, 24, was due to receive $3.674 million in 2026 after hitting an NFL escalator by playing in over 35% of his team’s offensive snaps in two of his first three seasons. Jones qualified via the Proven Performance Escalator, which pertains to fourth-year salary for players on rookie contracts who weren’t selected in the first round.

Jones initially signed a four-year, $4.63 million rookie contract after being a fourth-round pick in 2023 out of Ohio State.

But each of his three NFL seasons have ended with an injury and Jones has played in just 24 games with 20 starts.

He started nine games as a rookie before sustaining a season-ending MCL tear in his right knee. In 2024, he played in 10 games before a fractured left fibula ended his season.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Dre'Mont Jones (45) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Reports: Patriots sign DE Dre’Mont Jones, FB Reggie Gilliam

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The New England Patriots agreed to a three-year, $39.5 million deal with free agent defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, NFL Network reported Monday.

Jones, 29, has 37.5 career sacks in 108 games (69 starts) over seven NFL seasons with four teams. He has 253 tackles, 87 quarterback hits, 47 stops for loss, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one interception.

Jones split last season between the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens and the timing of the trade led him to play in 18 games. He had a career-best seven sacks — 4.5 for the Titans in nine games and 2.5 in nine games for the Ravens — and a career-high 24 QB hits.

Jones was a third-round draft pick in 2019 and played his first four seasons (2019-22) with the Denver Broncos, compiling 22 of his sacks there. He also spent two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2023-24).

NFL Network also reported that New England agreed to a three-year, $12 million deal with fullback Reggie Gilliam.

Gilliam, 28, spent all six of his NFL seasons with the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills. His blocking skills are among the best of NFL fullbacks and he also has scored two receiving touchdowns in 94 games (11 starts).

–Field Level Media

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones moves along the sideline on a scooter Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, ahead a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Colts, QB Daniel Jones doing tag tango on deadline day

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Colts quarterback Daniel Jones might be headed for the franchise tag if he can’t reach a contract extension to stay in Indianapolis before Tuesday’s deadline for teams to use the roster-management maneuver.

Jones is recovering from a torn Achilles but the risk for the Colts in extending negotiations beyond Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET cutoff for using the franchise tag would be another team signing Jones as a free agent next week.

Indianapolis is expected to trade or release quarterback Anthony Richardson. He formally requested a trade last week as all signs point to the Colts fully committing to Jones.

Health is not a concern in the mind of general manager Chris Ballard where Jones is concerned.

“He’s on track,” Ballard said. “With the Achilles, it’s the three-month mark where you’re kind of past the danger zone. What is he at now? Seven weeks, eight weeks. Y’all have been around Daniel enough to know, he’s pretty diligent in everything he does. You almost have to bring him back a little bit, but we feel good enough about where he’s at and where he’s going.”

The non-exclusive franchise tag value was set at $43.895 million for quarterbacks, a prohibitive number if the Colts are hoping to bring back unrestricted free agent wide receiver Alec Pierce.

Even with the medical concern to weigh, Jones would drive interest as a free agent. He was with the Vikings at the end of the 2024 season when Sam Darnold piloted Minnesota to the playoffs and 14 wins. Both got out of town and the Vikings are not clear if JJ McCarthy, a first-round pick in 2024, is the long-term answer. The Dolphins, Jets and Cardinals also have a need at the position.

“Daniel and Alec are such big pieces,” Ballard said at the NFL Scouting Combine of using the tag. “We move and fit from there.”

Using a non-exclusive franchise tag to block Pierce from the exits would be cheaper — $27.298 for 2026 — but a risk if Jones hasn’t also been secured.

–Field Level Media

Commanders choose Daronte Jones to revive defense

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The Washington Commanders hired Daronte Jones to be their new defensive coordinator on Friday.

Jones, 47, replaces Joe Whitt, who was fired on Jan. 6 after two seasons with the Commanders.

Jones coached the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive backs for five of the past six seasons, departing in 2021 to serve as the defensive coordinator at LSU. The Vikings added pass game coordinator to his duties in 2023.

The Vikings finished No. 3 in total defense (282.6 yards per game) and No. 7 in scoring defense (19.6 points per game) in 2025.

Under Whitt, the Commanders finished last in the NFL in total defense (384.3 yards per game) and 28th against the pass (242.5).

Washington, which finished 5-12 this past season, was 27th in the league in average points allowed (26.5 per game) and gave up 451 total points, 60 more than in 2024, when the team went 12-5 and reached the NFC title game.

Jones, a native of suburban Washington, D.C., also coached defensive backs with the Miami Dolphins (2016-17) and Cincinnati Bengals (2018-19) following nearly two decades in the high school and college coaching ranks plus a brief stint in the Canadian Football League.

–Field Level Media

Falcons name Tommy Rees as OC, retain 3 other coaches

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The Atlanta Falcons made the hiring of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees official on Thursday and also announced the retention of three members of the coaching staff.

Senior defensive assistant Dave Huxtable, assistant offensive line coach Nick Jones and running backs coach Michael Pitre will all return in 2026 as members of new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff.

Rees, 33, spent the 2025 season as the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator under Stefanski after serving as tight ends coach and passing game specialist in 2024. Stefanski yielded play-calling duties to Rees in November after Cleveland’s 2-6 start.

The Browns ranked 31st in points per game (16.4), 30th in total yards (262.1), 27th in rushing yards (97.0) and 31st in passing yards (140.3) in 2025.

Rees served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame from 2020-22 and held the same roles at Alabama in 2023.

Atlanta hired veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan on Tuesday, announced defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was being retained on Monday and hired Stefanski last Saturday to replace fired head coach Raheem Morris.

Rees replaces Zac Robinson, who was hired as the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday.

Rees played four seasons at quarterback for Notre Dame (2010-13) and completed 59.8% of his passes for 7,670 yards, 61 touchdowns and 37 interceptions in 47 games.

Atlanta also hired Jacqueline Roberts as manager of coaching operations. She spent the past two seasons with the Browns.

–Field Level Media

All three Colts QBs hurt; Daniel Jones (Achilles) done for season

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Daniel Jones is out for the season and the Indianapolis Colts are in crisis mode.

Jones ruptured his right Achilles on Sunday in Jacksonville, leaving the 36-19 loss in the first quarter as the Jaguars took sole possession of first place in the AFC South and the free-falling Colts (8-5) clung to fading playoff aspirations.

Backup Riley Leonard played the final three quarters on Sunday and suffered a right knee injury, head coach Shane Steichen said Monday. The Colts said there is no plan to activate Anthony Richardson, who has been on injured reserve following an accident during pregame warmups in Week 6 that left him with an orbital bone injury.

That might require the Colts to make a roster move. Brett Rypien is on the practice squad. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren is the team’s emergency quarterback.

“(GM) Chris (Ballard) and his staff are working through that right now,” Steichen said.

Leonard completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards with an interception and a rushing touchdown.

Jones has played only 29 total games in the past three seasons and ended multiple years on injured reserve with the New York Giants due to injuries (neck, ACL).

On Sunday, he crumbled to the ground with a non-contact injury as he delivered a pass on a third-down dropback. He slammed his helmet to the ground while being evaluated on the field and limped to the locker room under his own power, and the combination of disappointment and uncertainty was felt in the postgame locker room.

“That was definitely a gut punch,” Colts running back Jonathan Taylor said. “We’ve got to catch ourselves. You’ve got to find some way, somehow, to catch yourself. You’re going into a free-fall, whatever it takes, individually and collectively, to put your foot down … to say we’re not going to continue to let this snowball.”

The Colts dropped four of their past five games since starting the season 7-1 and have four games left against the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars and Texans. Those teams own a combined record of 36-16.

Jones, 28, is in his first season with the Colts after playing 5 1/2 seasons with the Giants and part of last season with the Minnesota Vikings. He was the No. 6 overall pick by New York in the 2019 draft.

He joined the Colts in free agency on a one-year contract and is scheduled to be eligible for free agency again in March. But he will unlikely be ready to work out for teams until June or July.

Jones had passed for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions for Indianapolis. He was playing through a fractured left fibula.

–Field Level Media

Colts QB Daniel Jones limited with fibula injury

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Daniel Jones was limited in practice on Wednesday with a fibula injury, but Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen labeled his quarterback “good to go” for a Sunday game against the Houston Texans.

Jones was on the injury report last week but played start to finish at Kansas City in an overtime loss to the Chiefs that knocked the AFC South leaders back toward the pack at 8-3.

“All I’ve got for you is he’s got a fibula, and that’s it,” Steichen said Wednesday. “I’m not going to get into specifics but he’s out there. He’s playing. He’s practicing. He’s good to go.”

Houston (6-5) rolls into Indianapolis with a three-game winning streak, two edge rushers with double-digit sacks and reinforcements expected to get back on the field in quarterback CJ Stroud and nickel corner Jalen Pitre. Both players are on schedule to clear concussion protocol, head coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday.

Jones was sacked a total of 12 times in two games before the Colts’ offensive line pitched a shutout at Kansas City. Protection should receive a boost playing at home for the first time since Oct. 26.

“It’s a good defense. It’s aggressive. They do a good job rushing the passer, they’ve got good players in the secondary,” Jones said, while downplaying the injury. “I’ve just been trying to get treatment and make sure I’m in the best spot I can be. It’s just something I felt last week. Got looked at. … I’m good. I’m all good. I’ll be ready to go Sunday.”

The Texans lead the NFL in total defense (264.3 yards per game) and rank second in scoring defense (16.5 points per game). The Texans registered eight sacks of Josh Allen and beat the Buffalo Bills last week. Edge rushers Danielle Hunter (11 sacks) and Will Anderson (10.5 sacks) lead Houston’s pass rush, a top concern for Jones and the Colts leading up to Sunday’s game.

Steichen’s counter punch of NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor (1,197 yards) is part of the reason Jones isn’t fretting the leg issue or limited live reps to start the week.

“We obviously know what’s at stake. We’re back at home,” Taylor said. “At the end of the day, November-December you want to be playing your best ball.”

–Field Level Media

49ers QB Brock Purdy could return to starting role vs. Cardinals

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The San Francisco 49ers plan to push Brock Purdy aggressively in practice this week with the hope he will start Sunday’s road game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Purdy last played in Week 4 when he aggravated a toe injury during a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He initially hurt the toe in the season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks and sat out the following two weeks.

Purdy, 25, was limited in practice Wednesday but also was taking repetitions with the first-team offense.

“If he takes a big step forward this week, like he did last week, then he should have a good chance to play,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday.

Mac Jones, 27, has started the last six games for San Francisco (6-4) while Purdy was sidelined.

Meanwhile, Purdy has been bogged down with his ailment and the 49ers considered making him the No. 2 signal caller in Week 9 against the New York Giants before leaving him inactive and going with Adrian Martinez as the backup.

The 49ers also made Purdy inactive in last weekend’s 42-26 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Purdy has passed for 10,104 yards and 68 touchdowns against 31 interceptions in 42 regular-season games (38 starts) in four seasons with San Francisco. He was the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft and helped the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game as a rookie and the Super Bowl in the 2023 season.

Jones completed 33 of 39 passes for 319 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against the Rams.

Overall, Jones is 5-3 as the San Francisco starter.

Jones has passed for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in eight games this season.

Also, 49ers wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) is expected to return from a six-game absence. The 2024 first-round selection has 20 receptions for 327 yards in four games this season.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Injury to 49ers QB Brock Purdy (toe) could linger all season

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San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy will be dealing with his right big toe injury the rest of the season, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said after Sunday’s 34-24 road victory over the New York Giants.

The contest against New York marked the fifth in a row that Purdy missed. There was optimism he would be available against the Giants because he was listed as questionable and wasn’t ruled out for the game as in previous weeks.

But when the team turned in its pregame list of inactives, Purdy’s name was on it.

“We’re trying to ease Brock out there in the practice stuff, but anytime you’re dealing with his turf toe, it’s something that probably won’t fully go away all year regardless of when he comes back,” Shanahan said. “He’s going to always have to deal with a little bit. … So it’s really about just assessing when’s the best time to come back that you have to deal with it the least. It’s a little bit of a tricky decision.”

Shanahan said Purdy “wasn’t that close” to being active Sunday despite being listed as questionable. Adrian Martinez served as the No. 2 quarterback behind Mac Jones.

“I just want to make sure he gets 100% better and won’t put him out there too early,” Shanahan said. “Thought about it as a possible backup or emergency, but I think the more time we get, the better.”

Purdy was initially hurt during the season-opening 17-13 victory over against the Seattle Seahawks and missed the next two games. He aggravated the injury during a 26-21 home loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4.

Jones has started seven games and San Francisco (6-3) has won five of them. He passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns against New York.

Also, the 49ers fear that rookie defensive end Mykel Williams tore the ACL in his right knee in the fourth quarter while pressuring Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. Williams, the 11th overall pick in the 2025 draft, will undergo further testing on Monday.

“He’s just down and you never know. Hopefully it’s not the worst but, if it is, hey, that sucks for this year,” Shanahan said. “But that’s all it sucks for. You’ll be back next year and this won’t affect you at all.”

–Field Level Media