The Indianapolis Colts lost yet another game Sunday, this time to the Dallas Cowboys. With the NFL trade deadline arriving Tuesday, the rumor mill around the NFL is spinning. Who’s going? Who’s coming? Are the Colts about to sell off everybody?

Quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receiver Josh Downs, and defensive tackle Grover Stewart have all come up in trade speculation. Well, we now know where Jones stands.

Colts tell Daniel Jones he is staying put

Tom Pelissero of The Ringer posted on that Indianapolis gave its quarterback a clear answer before the deadline:

“The Colts informed quarterback Daniel Jones on Saturday They’re not trading him by Tuesday’s deadline. Teams called and the Colts listened, but they never had any intention of moving him despite speculation. Jones is staying in Indy.”

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Part of that decision likely comes down to the fact that the Colts extended Jones during the offseason. Pelissero also laid out what that contract looks like going forward.

“Daniel Jones is due $38 million in 2027 with only about $10.5 guaranteed for injury until March. That’s mid-tier quarterback money giving whoever the new GM is optionality as the rebuild begins.”

That is the key detail here. Indianapolis isn’t locked into Jones long-term in a way that would hamstring a new front office. The flexibility is there, and there’s no need to rush a deal at the deadline when the decision can wait until the spring.

Jones was asked about the trade rumors in his postgame interview, before Pelissero’s report surfaced. He made it clear where his loyalty lies.

“I believe in Shane Steichen. I believe in what we’re doing. I love playing for Shane. So like I said, I hadn’t thought about it much. I’ve been so focused on Dallas and making sure I was ready.”

That’s about as strong an endorsement of Colts head coach Shane Steichen as you’ll hear from a player in the middle of a losing season.

The Vikings are the team that loses out

So the question becomes, who in their right mind would trade for Daniel Jones? I know one team, and it’s a team he used to play for: the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota has a Monday Night Football game this week. If Carson Wentz goes out there and stinks up the joint, the Vikings will be staring at a serious problem. Kyler Murray has been bad and is now injured, which leaves Minnesota with very few answers under center.

To me, that’s what makes this so frustrating for the Vikings. They might watch one of the best defenses in the history of the NFL go to waste. That is how bad their quarterback play has been, and how good their defense is. Even a quarterback like Jones could have propelled that team forward.

No Daniel Jones option for quarterback-needy teams

With Indianapolis holding firm, the picture is clear. The Vikings, and any other team looking to salvage its season because of a quarterback injury or poor play, won’t have Jones as an option before Tuesday’s deadline.

For Colts fans, that means the rest of the season will play out with Jones as their starting quarterback. Whether that’s a comfort or a frustration probably depends on how you feel about the direction of this team. Either way, the Colts made their call, and Jones isn’t going anywhere.