NFL insider explains how Daniel Jones will play a big role in Alec Pierce’s future with the Colts
The Colts head into free agency with some big questions on deck.
The Indianapolis Colts are facing two huge question marks regarding the futures of quarterback Daniel Jones and star receiver Alec Pierce.
The Colts hit Jones with the transition tag a few days ago, but that all but guarantees he stays in Indy. By doing so, Chris Ballard allows Pierce to hit the open market where, as we know, anything can happen. He’s also expected to rake in a huge payday due to the fact he’ll have several suitors, which makes the Colts’ lives even harder.
While it won’t be easy, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported the Colts have an ace up their sleeve they hope keeps Pierce in town.
Pierce’s relationship with Jones will play a big role in his future decision
“What helps Indy’s case is that Pierce is close with Colts quarterback Daniel Jones and, if everything is equal, would like to stay in Indianapolis.” – Jeremy Fowler
The quarterback-receiver relationship is one of the strongest in football, so this isn’t a surprise, whatsoever, but it’s certainly worth noting. How many times have we seen said relationship fracture or never form simply because the two guys don’t like each other? The fact Pierce and Jones get along, plus Pierce’s experience in Shane Steichen’s offense, are big advantages.
But as we all know, money talks and it can change anyone’s outlook on a situation.
There’s also one major question regarding Pierce’s and Jones’ time on the field together: When will they actually get to play on the field at the same time?
Jones’ Achilles injury is going to take quite some time to recover from and the fact it occurred in December certainly raises a big red flag regarding his overall availability for the upcoming season. It was reported previously that Jones should recover in six to eight months, but the typical timeline is 9-12 months (see George Kittle’s timeline) and obviously, the Colts aren’t going to rush him back into action. That’s a recipe for disaster when it come to setbacks.
There’s also the direction of the Colts, in general. It’s safe to say Ballard and Steichen are out if it’s another bad year and Indy likely won’t be able to match other offers, pound-for-pound. So, would Pierce want to put himself in a situation where things could look drastically different in just a year, while also taking less money?
Or, would he rather go to a team like the New England Patriots? New England is reportedly willing to pay him top dollar and is off a fresh Super Bowl run. The Patriots are easily one of the league’s ascending teams and the future is bright. Whereas in Indy, it’s quite unknown.
Will Jones be the determining factor as the Colts hope? Time will only tell and we’ll find out soon enough, that’s for sure.
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