The Indianapolis Colts placed the transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones Tuesday, according to a team announcement, ensuring the team retains the right to match any offer he receives in free agency.
The move comes with a 4 p.m. ET deadline looming for teams to designate franchise or transition tags, and as the Colts navigate contract negotiations with both Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce. Colts General Manager Chris Ballard had expressed a desire to secure both players with long-term deals without resorting to the tag, but time has run short.
Unlike the franchise tag, the transition tag does not guarantee the Colts will receive draft compensation should Jones sign an offer sheet with another team. If Jones agrees to terms with a rival club, Indianapolis will have five days to match the offer to retain his services. The non-exclusive franchise tag, had the Colts chosen that route, would have yielded two first-round draft picks as compensation if they declined to match a competing offer.
The one-year guaranteed salary under the transition tag is calculated differently than the franchise tag. It is based on the average of the top 10 salaries at the quarterback position over the last five years, rather than the top five used for the franchise tag calculation.
Ballard indicated at the NFL scouting combine that using the tag was not his preferred outcome. He has used the tag only once in his decade as general manager, temporarily applying it to Michael Pittman Jr. In 2024 before ultimately signing him to a long-term contract.
Jones signed with the Colts last March and started 13 games, completing 68 percent of his passes for 3,101 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He similarly added five rushing touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 100.2.
The Colts and Jones can continue to negotiate a long-term contract until the start of the NFL free agency negotiation window at noon on Monday, March 9. If no agreement is reached by then, Jones will be free to negotiate with other teams.
