The Indianapolis Colts have been shopping their roster ahead of the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline as they prepare for a rebuild for the first time in a decade.

Longtime franchise pillars in left guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner were the first to be dealt for draft capital, but the Colts have been playing hard to get when it comes to the rest of their top trade assets.

Running back Jonathan Taylor headlines all trade rumors ahead of the NFL's November 10th deadline, but wide receiver Josh Downs and defensive tackle Grover Stewart have also been among the most mentioned in various rumors.

However, perhaps the Colts' most shocking trade candidate that's been revealed in recent weeks is quarterback Daniel Jones.

Jones has by no means been the sole reason that the Colts have gotten off to a brutal 2-7 start to the season, though he has been a big contributor to such dysfunction. Jones is one of just two starting quarterbacks in the NFL who have thrown more interceptions than passing touchdowns through nine weeks.

The Colts' seemingly punted on the 2026 season and transitioned their priorities to the future once they traded Nelson and Buckner, but instead of moving on from the Jones experiment mid-season, they've continued to roll with him.

And again, this isn't all on Jones.

The Colts have provided him the worst wide receiver room in the NFL, and Shane Steichen's offense has been broken as a result. Indianapolis kicked off the 2025 season with historic efficiency under Daniel Jones for the first time, and this perfect marriage of scheme and personnel netted immediate results.

However, one year later, the Colts' perfect situation has devolved into a subpar supporting cast, and Jones has reverted to his usual self.

Jones's return from his infamous Achilles tear has naturally played a big part in his regression, though it's evident through nine weeks that a less-than-ideal supporting cast is what has been the main reason.

So, given the circumstances, why has Jones received any trade interest at all?

The Colts' starting quarterback received calls from the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens because of the aforementioned perfect situation he thrived under just a season ago.

Teams believe that Jones can be a succesful game-manager so long as he has the necessary help, so reaching out about a likely late-round pick for his services feels like an easy choice.

Nobody predicted that Daniel Jones of all people would warrant trade interest, but desperation forces organizations to take a shot on quarterbacks any chance they can justify it.

The Colts were gifted a golden opportunity to cut their losses with the Daniel Jones experiment, but a recent report from The Ringer's Tom Pelissero claims they are keeping Jones around for the foreseeable future.

The Colts informed QB Daniel Jones on Saturday they’re not trading him by Tuesday’s deadline, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports.

Teams called and the Colts listened. But they never had any intention of moving him. Despite speculation, Jones is staying in Indy. pic.twitter.com/Ew0cVkmEuW

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 9, 2026

On the surface, this makes sense.

The Indianapolis Colts will be among the worst teams in the NFL come 2027, so having a veteran bridge quarterback for a big-time transition period would do more good than harm.

The Colts' 2027 season will likely be dead on arrival no matter who is brought in this coming offseason, but at least a veteran presence can help bridge the gap and further the development of the promising young pieces still on the roster.

It makes even more sense once you consider Daniel Jones's contract.

Jones is on the Colts' books for one more season, and his $38 million salary, coupled with his $10.5 guaranteed money for injury that is due until March, makes for an ideal mid-tier bridge option at the position.

In theory, this would provide the next front office with a viable option for the regime's first season.

For example, the Miami Dolphins similarly blew up their roster last season and then turned around and signed Malik Willis to a modest 3-year, $67 million deal.

However, the state of the Indianapolis Colts' organization is much more complex than your typical rebuild. Not only that, but Jones has played so poorly as of late that he no longer warrants mid-tier money.

The added layer of the Colts reportedly telling Jones they weren't trading him on Saturday, the day before Week 9's slate of games, doesn't make their decision look any better. Had a contender's starting quarterback gone down the day after, they could have been a potential new suitor for Jones's services.

Then again, if the Colts are ultimately planning to make Jones their tank commander for 2027, then this is some subtle 4D chess on display.

I would argue that rolling with Anthony Richardson for the rest of the season would be the best course of action, because if he plays well enough to bring back on a cheap one-year deal for 2027, then parting ways with Jones would be that much easier.

And if not, second-year quarterback Riley Leonard is waiting the wings.

I understand the vision of giving the next general manager an option, but that logic fails to hold up once you consider teams are willing to give up draft capital for a player that could very well be cut in the offseason, or does it?

The Colts can save $38 million if they make Daniel Jones a post-June 1st cut designation, so there are numerous avenues to parting ways on the table, but continuing to roster Jones when it's beneficial for both parties to part ways feels like a big misstep.

While it appears that way on the surface, the Colts actually would save more money with the June 1st designation than they would by trading him midseason. Indianapolis would save just $11.6 million in 2027 by trading Jones, given that he carries $36.9 million in dead cap over 2026-27, according to Spotrac.

Adding a late-round pick instead of freeing up $25 million would actually be the malpractice on display.

Indianapolis desperately needs to part ways with any contributor from their failed construction under Chris Ballard, and although Jones was among the last to join the wave, he, too, shouldn't be part of the plan moving forward, but it appears he will be, and it makes sense why.

Colts' Owner/CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon looked to have won the trust of the fanbase after she seemingly accepted the organization's immediate fate and fired Chris Ballard, and then doubled down by trading Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, but has since failed to prove that her version of the Colts is any different than her late father's, Jim Irsay's, most recent teams.

Irsay-Gordon and her sisters, co-owners Kalen Jackson and Casey Foyt, deserve some grace and patience as there's still a long ways to go before the rebuild officially kicks off, but they need to maximize this year's trade deadline if they want the Indianapolis Colts to be taken seriously anytime soon.