Nussmeier spoke with NFL Network. “I’ve got a lot of stuff coming up. I’ve got the Jets coming in the next couple of days here. I’ve got the Rams coming into town. I’m heading out to Indianapolis.”

The Jets worked out Carson Beck and Drew Allar, as well as preparing to host Ty Simpson. Now, Nussmeier is up next. Nussmeier was at LSU and has been looking good in drills, so there is quite a chance he manages to impress the Jets too.

Is Nussmeier a good prospect?

Nussmeier has a gunslinger mentality thanks to his strong arm. However, he is also accurate and tough. During 2024 when he was fully healthy, he threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns. The ab injury really limited last season.

Nussmeier is somewhat undersized though, standing at 6-foot-2. Given that he is a pocket-passer, teams like the Rams, Jets, and Colts might worry a bit about how good Nussmeier sees the field.

Nussmeier’s draft projection

A typical ‘Day 2 prospect‘, Nussmeier is expected to go either in the second or third round. Hence, he could be competing head to head against the likes of Drew Allar and Carson Beck regarding his draft position.

During Week 14 of last season, in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones suffered a severe Achilles heel injury, which brought to an end what had been a great campaign for the QB.

Over a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the former New York Giants player shared interesting details about his recovery: “My goal is to be ready to go for week one…I’m planning on being out there to start the season.”

The Indianapolis Colts aim to replicate what they achieved last season, at least the first half, which was more than satisfactory. Will Daniel Jones be the one to deliver the big impact this year?

Daniel Jones’ numbers in 2025

Before his season-ending injury, Daniel Jones was putting together a career-best campaign in Indianapolis, leading the Colts to a strong 8-2 start. In 13 games, he completed 68% of his passes for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions, posting a career-high 100.2 passer rating.

He also remained a dual-threat weapon in Shane Steichen’s offense, contributing 164 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground before his Achilles tear in December.

According to journalist Tom Pelissero via his account on X, the former New York Giants player has secured his immediate future with the franchise for two more years, in an $88 million deal that can be worth up to $100 million with incentives.

Jordan Schultz also shared interesting details about this move: “Daniel Jones will earn $50M in 2026 before incentives, a $12.2M increase from the transition tag he would have otherwise played on — and $38M in 2027 before incentives, with $10M guaranteed.”

Highest-paid QBs in the NFL

As of March 2026, the hierarchy of NFL quarterback compensation is topped by Dak Prescott, who leads the league with a record-breaking average annual value of $60 million.

Following him, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow are currently tied for the second spot, both earning an average of $55 million per year under their respective extensions with the Bills and Bengals.

Full list:

• Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) – $60 million
• Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) – $55 million
• Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) – $55 million
• Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) – $55 million
• Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) – $55 million
• Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins-Atlanta Falcons) – $53.1 million
• Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) – $53 million
• Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers) – $53 million
• Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) – $52.5 million
• Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) – $52 million

Jones’ financial progression

Throughout his career, Daniel Jones has seen a dramatic escalation in his earnings, starting with a $25.7 million rookie contract with the New York Giants. After securing a massive $160 million extension in New York, he recently reached a new peak with the Colts, signing an extension worth $88 million that can reach up to $100 million with incentives.

On his social media, Pittman made a brief yet direct statement. “BLACK AND GOLD!!!!!!,” the former Colts’ wideout stated, @MikePitt_Jr on X.

Although Michael Pittman Jr. loved his time with the Colts—where he became an NFL star—he is ready for a new challenge in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. Perhaps Pittman Jr. knows something the rest of the league doesn’t about Aaron Rodgers’ future, or maybe he is simply excited to represent the winningest franchise in Super Bowl history, tied with the New England Patriots at six titles.

Why did Colts trade Pittman Jr.?

Although Indianapolis stood witness as Pittman Jr. blossomed into one of the safest hands in the NFL, the decision to part ways with him wasn’t too surprising. Basically, it all came down to cap space.

Pittman Jr. was set to enter the final season of his three-year, $70 million contract with the Colts. Carrying an annual cap hit of $29 million, via Colts Wire, the franchise was in a bit of a pickle. In the “Crossroads of America”, the Colts found a way to get out of a crossroads by sending Pittman to “The City of Bridges”. Upon arrival, the Steelers handed Pittman Jr. a three-year, $59 million extension.

Last season, Pittman Jr. finished the campaign with 80 receptions for 784 yards and 7 touchdowns. Despite a career-high in scores, Pittman Jr. recorded his second-lowest yards total. For the Steelers, Pittman’s 784 yards would have put comfortable in second place for most receiving yards, only behind D.K. Metcalf’s 850.

Pittman is joining a group led by DK Metcalf, providing the Steelers a much-needed combo in the position. Roman Wilson and Ben Skorownek are the other wideouts under contract in Pittsburgh for 2026.

The Colts are losing a key weapon, but are also creating $24 million in cap space. They will count on Alec Pierce, who agreed to come back in a four-year deal. The other Colts WRs under contract for 2026 are Ashton Dulin, Josh Downs, and Anthony Gould.

Free agent WRs in Indianapolis and Pittsburgh

Pittman is reportedly signing a three-year, $59 million contract in Pittsburgh, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Steelers, meanwhile, have three wideouts facing unrestricted free agency.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Scotty Miller, and Calvin Austin III are all free to sign elsewhere in the open market ahead of the 2026 NFL season. The same goes for Laquon Treadwell in the Colts’ case, as the wideout is out of contract in Indy.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, “Pierce appears poised to make at least $27 million per year on a new deal. The Patriots, Commanders, Raiders and Titans are among teams in the mix.” Pierce must be aware of this, and he might want to see teams battling on his sweepstakes.

Fowler also added that the Colts have one ace under their sleeve. “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. There’s still hope for Indy, but Pierce’s market will dictate his direction. His upside and penchant for chunk yardage are attractive to teams.“

What are the other big names in the WR free agency market?

While Pierce is one of the top options he is not the only one. It was reported earlier that Super Bowl champion Mike Evans will test free agency as well. Still, when looking at the heavy names, Alec Pierce might arguably had the best season of them all, as you can see below.

Hence, Pierce’s wisest move would be to actually wait for offers to come in, and then decide if staying on the Colts is the best idea. After all, he might be the best deep threat available on the market.

Pierce was the best Colts WR in a stacked room

Indianapolis had one of the most loaded-yet-underrated WR rooms in the NFL. The Colts had Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, Pierce, and star tight end Tyler Warren. Pierce was just the best of them all. These were the numbers of the rest of the Colts receiver apart from Pierce:

• Tyler Warren – 817 yds, 4 TDs
• Michael Pittman Jr. – 784 yds, 7 TDs
• Josh Downs – 566 yds, 4 TDs

Darnell Mooney played two seasons with the Falcons and he recorded 1,435 yards and six touchdowns. He also had 96 receptions for the team. During his six years in the NFL, Mooney has averaged 13+ yards per catch four times.

The Chiefs need a deep threat, and Mooney is four years younger than Tyreek Hill, for instance. Mooney is a very solid player, and while not a bonafide star, Patrick Mahomes could do wonders with Mooney. It would allow the quarterback to launch his throws downfield with purpose.

Other teams on the lookout could be…

New Orleans lost Rashid Shaheed on the trade deadline last season, and the Saints ended on a high note. However, the Saints do need to bring someone that can be that speedy guy to not become predictable. However, Tyler Shough is not one to have an arm to launch it down, but Mooney is still great outside numbers.

Also, if the Indianapolis Colts don’t end up re-signing Alec Pierce, Mooney is a premium replacement. With all that in mind, Mooney will have a market and the sweepstakes might land him quite a good amount of money.

Mooney has plenty of quality

While the Chiefs already discarded one Super Bowl champion, Mooney will bring a cheaper contract and a credible threat. In fact, he is regarded as a very good vertical receiver in the NFL.

According to PFF, he kept a top-15 deep receiving grade throughout the 2025 season. Mooney is not only a fast player (he recorded a 4.38 40-yard dash), but also is very skilled to create separation between him and defenders.

The Colts confirmed on Tuesday they’re using the transition tag on Jones, a measure rarely seen in the National Football League. This means Indianapolis will have the right to match any offer Jones may receive as an unrestricted free agent, and also gives the team more time to reach an agreement on a longer deal for the 28-year-old before other teams can approach him.

This move shows a significant contrast with what the Giants decided in 2023, when they handed Jones a four-year, $160 million contract ($82M guaranteed at signing) that aged poorly. With the transition tag, Jones will receive a fully guaranteed $37.83 million for 2026.

Even if the Colts don’t get Jones to sign a new contract before free agency starts and the quarterback accepts an offer sheet from another team in the open market, the team will have five days to choose to match it and keep him.

However, unlike with the franchise tag, the Colts would receive no compensation for declining to match. What the transition tag proves is that Indianapolis isn’t getting ahead of itself like New York did in 2023.

Colts not rushing things with Jones like Giants did in 2023

Despite seeing inconsistent play from their 2019 sixth overall pick until then, the Giants felt convinced to bet on Jones after a promising 2022 season where he threw for 3,205 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns and five interceptions along with 120 carries for 708 rushing yards and seven rushing scores.

Jones had led the Giants to a road playoff win over the Vikings before a Divisional Round exit at the hands of eventual Super Bowl runners-up Eagles, and the team hoped it would be the start of something bigger. But nothing went to plan. Injuries caught up to Jones in 2023, with a torn ACL finishing his season prematurely as he recorded just 909 passing yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions for a poor 1–5 record.

2024 was even worse, with Jones losing his starting job after throwing for just eight touchdown passes against seven interceptions for 2,070 yards in 10 weeks. He was then granted his request to be released and finished the campaign in Minnesota, though with no playing time.

2025 was his comeback year, exceeding expectations with a 7-1 start for a Colts team that deeply missed him after he suffered a torn Achilles in December. However, even after a promising year, Indianapolis is taking a safer approach than New York did back in the day.

After an outstanding 2025 NFL season, the veteran quarterback was expected to land a lucrative long-term deal. Instead, the Colts opted to use the transition tag, reminding the New York Giants of their failed decision with Jones in 2023.

A transition tag is not the same as a franchise tag. There are key differences between the two, and the Colts are likely betting that Jones will not receive an offer sheet they are unwilling to match.

What is a transition tag in the NFL, and how does it differ from the franchise tag?

The transition tag is rarely used in the NFL. For a quarterback, it was last applied in 1996, when the Atlanta Falcons used it on Jeff George. The differences compared to the franchise tag are significant.

First, under both the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tag, a player’s rights are more tightly controlled. In the non-exclusive version, a player can negotiate with other teams, but if his original team declines to match an offer, it receives two first-round picks as compensation. Under the transition tag, however, if the original team declines to match an offer sheet, it receives no compensation at all.

Second — and likely the main reason the Colts chose this option — is the financial aspect. A franchise tag guarantees a one-year contract based on the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years. The transition tag, on the other hand, is calculated using the average of the top 10 salaries at the position, making it less expensive.

Colts hope not to receive any offers for Daniel Jones

Even though Daniel Jones delivered a strong 2025 season, the torn Achilles injury raises questions about his level once he returns. That may be one of the main reasons the Colts applied the transition tag, hoping other teams remain hesitant and choose not to submit an offer sheet for the quarterback.

Despite the transition tag allowing Jones to negotiate with other teams, the Colts still hold significant leverage. If another franchise presents an offer sheet, Indianapolis would have the right to match it. Given the circumstances, the Colts would likely do so rather than risk losing Jones without receiving any compensation in return.

Recently, the Colts allowed Anthony Richardson to seek a trade. However, the understanding that the team and Jones were close to an extension might not be as true. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, contract talks between the Colts and Daniel Jones don’t “sound close.”

Apparently, there is quite a gap between what the Colts are offering and Jones is asking. The alternative is to put a franchise tag on Jones that would get him $43.9 million, or a transition tag that would warrant a $37.8 million paycheck for the QB.

Jones is a risky renewal

There are two key factors that might really concern the Colts when giving Jones a big contract. First, he is coming off one of the worst injuries known to athletes. Recovering from a torn Achilles is not easy, it’s quite the opposite of that. Hence, there should be more hesitation than just throwing the money at the quarterback.

The other one is consistency. Daniel Jones only had one great season under his belt, the Giants paid him handsomely and then regretted it. With the Colts, he was having a very good season, but will they also make the mistake? After all, that can send a franchise years back.

The Colts haven’t had a proper franchise QB since 2018

Ever since Andrew Luck retired, the Colts haven’t been able to solidify an actual QB. That was eight years ago. After that, no starting QB has played more than one season under center for them.

Shane Steichen will enter his fourth year on the job, and he hasn’t been able to establish a winning culture because of the lack of a proper QB1. He has worked miracles with Gardner Minshew, Anthony Richardson, and now Daniel Jones. However, if the Colts want to be taken seriously, they need to solve this issue as soon as possible.

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, via Stephen Holder, the Colts gave Richardson permission to seek a trade. According to Holder, this is because of Richardson’s uncertain future with the Colts.

Richardson was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Since then, he has shown raw talent, but also has struggled with accuracy and with his health, constantly getting injured.

Richardson’s athletic skills

Standing at 6’4″ and weighing around 244 pounds, Richardson is a big quarterback. Pair that to a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, and he is a quarterback with plenty of physical talent to exploit. However, his flaws are as clear as his strengths.

Richardson has started just 15 games out of 51 possible. However, in 2025 he was benched, yet still was injured for most season with an orbital bone injury. During his 15 games, he has an 8-7 record, completing just 50.6% of his passes for 2,400 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Richardson has a career 67.8 passer rating. Now, a team needy of a quarterback could see a great project in the soon-to-be 24-year-old. But, all teams must be aware that fixing might be needed.

What are the Colts going to do with their QB situation?

Daniel Jones is recovering from an Achilles heel tear, and is also scheduled to be a free agent. However, the Colts reportedly want to bring him back. Still, the Colts had to bring then retired quarterback Philip Rivers back to the gridiron last year. That’s how bad their QB situation was. Hence, they need to finally settle on a proper, reliable QB1 if they want to challenge for something else.

Rumors around the league mention that the Vikings could look at Richardson as a great option to bring competition to JJ McCarthy. Kevin O’Connell is a public fan of Richardson and he has a great talent to develop quarterbacks. Hence, without Richardson and Jones, the only QB on the Colts would be second-year QB Riley Leonard.