Daniel Jones may still be the long-term answer for the Colts

Sunday's torn Achilles suffered by Colts quarterback Daniel Jones complicates 2026, for both player and team. That said, the end result could be very simple.

The current expectation is that the Colts will sign Jones to a multi-year deal to remain the starting quarterback into the future.

Yes, he'll spend the upcoming months rehabbing the injury. Yes, there will be questions about whether and to what extent he's 100 percent when the next season begins. Regardless, the thinking is that - six years after the sudden and unexpected retirement of Andrew Luck - the Colts have found their quarterback.

Two years ago, for example, a torn Achilles didn't stop the Falcons from giving a market-level deal to Kirk Cousins.

Still only 28, Jones has plenty of years left in his career. And the Colts, who have tried anything/everything to find a new, year-in and year-out quarterback, realize that, at some point, he'll be recovered from his latest injury.

The challenge will be coming up with the right value. Assuming the franchise tag won't be an option, the Colts have to weather the upcoming storm of illegal tampering, if other teams decide they may want Jones.

Or the Colts could move quickly to get it done. Once the surgery is performed and it's declared to be a success (then again, no pro athlete ever gets butchered), the move could be to swoop in with a solid offer and get the deal done.

Don't be surprised if that happens, sooner or later. Until the injury, the relationship was working well. There's no reason to abandon it, for the team or for Jones.