Daniel Jones contract just gave Jets fans an $88 million reason to celebrate

After a transition tag saga that felt somewhat unnecessary, the Indianapolis Colts are re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a two-year, $88 million contract extension, worth up $100 million with incentives, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

It brings Jones' career earnings to just under $300 million, if he hits those incentives, making him the sixth-highest paid player in NFL history. We'll see if Jones' new contract leads to a more successful season in 2026.

New York Jets fans will be hoping it doesn't, as they own the rights to Indianapolis' 2027 first-round pick thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade at last year's trade deadline.

Does the Jones re-signing means the Colts are destined for contention next season?

What does the Daniel Jones re-signing mean for the Jets' draft pick?

It can't be denied that the Colts were a better team last year when Jones was under center. In 13 starts, Indianapolis was 8-5, and the former New York Giant completed 68% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

After Jones went down with an Achilles tear, the Colts didn't win a single game the rest of the way, despite bringing 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement for one last go-around.

Just because Jones is back, though, doesn't necessarily make Indianapolis an instant playoff contender. They're in one of the tougher divisions in football, with the dominant Houston Texans defense and trending-upwards Jacksonville Jaguars.

To make matters worse, Jones is coming off one of the toughest injuries a professional athlete can endure. Recent reports suggest the former first-round pick will be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season, but will his body be?

It took veteran quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers a lot of time to rebound from their own heel injuries, although they were both older than Jones at the time. He may not have the full range of his athletic ability until later in the season.

Either way, Jets fans will be watching closely how the Colts perform in 2026, as one of their three first-round picks depends on it.

If we're basing Jones' future play off the last time he got a major contract extension, New York should be picking relatively high, thanks to Indianapolis' pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.