The last time the Indianapolis Colts took the field, they faced Mac Jones, who was starting in place of injured quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Indianapolis beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in that game in the 2024 regular-season finale. Now Jones, a free agent this offseason, could take his talents to Indianapolis.
Jones began his NFL career as a starter with the New England Patriots. Yet, he’s a backup nowadays. Indianapolis should think about signing him this spring. The former first-round pick could compete with Anthony Richardson for the starting job.
The Indianapolis Colts Should Consider Signing Mac Jones
His Football Career
Mac Jones committed to the University of Kentucky but wound up choosing to play at Alabama instead. He played three seasons with the Crimson Tide under legendary coach Nick Saban.
Jones put together a superb junior season, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. He impressively had a 203.1 passer rating and a 77.4 completion percentage, which were both NCAA season records. He also won the Davey O’Brien, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and Manning Awards.
In addition, Jones finished third for the Heisman Trophy and led Alabama to a national championship. He recorded 464 passing yards and five touchdowns in the championship game as the Crimson Tide beat Ohio State 52-24.
Mac Jones then chose to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2021 NFL Draft. Has was predicted to get drafted third overall by the San Francisco 49ers. However, he ended up falling to the Patriots at 15th overall.
Jones had a great rookie season, starting all 17 games. He threw for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading the Patriots to a 10-7 record. Jones also made the Pro Bowl and finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Ja’Marr of the Cincinnati Bengals. He led the Patriots to the playoffs although they lost to the Buffalo Bills 47-17 in the Wild Card round.
After his rookie year, Mac Jones regressed and eventually lost his starting job. He was traded to his hometown Jaguars in March 2024. Jones started seven games this past season, filling in for Trevor Lawrence. He threw for 1,672 yards and eight touchdowns.
Why the Colts Should Sign Him
During his year-end press conference, Colts general manager Chris Ballard hinted at the team bringing in someone to compete with Anthony Richardson. It’s highly unlikely that it will be Sam Darnold, the top quarterback free agent this year.
Signing Mac Jones is more realistic. He’ll be a lot cheaper than Darnold, who might land a deal worth $196 million this offseason. Jones could replace free agent Joe Flacco, who might decide to retire or sign with another team. Jones could start if Richardson goes down with an injury. And there’s a possibility he could beat out Richardson for the starting job during training camp. Jones isn’t a superstar but his potential competition with Richardson could push the latter to want to be a better quarterback.
There will be a ton of QB candidates for the Colts such as Jameis Winston, Daniel Jones, and Jacoby Brissett. But don’t forget about Mac Jones.
Main Image: Clark Wade – USA Today Sports
