Indianapolis Colts will begin training camp at Grand Park in Westfield on Wednesday with starting quarterback Daniel Jones seemingly clear of any restrictions, the quarterback said on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday morning.
“I’m feeling good, feeling good. Plan is to be back in 11-on-11, full team drills Wednesday when we start up practice and be out there with the guys, Jones told McAfee. “Rehab has been good to this point. I still have some work to do as we get ready for Week 1, but I feel really good with where I am.”
On Saturday, Colts head coach Shane Steichen said his starting quarterback would be a “full participant” at the start of his second training camp with the Colts more than a week shy of eight months since Jones tore his right Achilles tendon during a Week 14 loss in Jacksonvill Dec. 7 of last year. This week’s camp will be the first time Jones has led the team under center in 11-on-11 drills since his season-ending injury.
Jones took part in the Colts’ 7-on-7 action during the team’s three-day mandatory mini-camp in June but was withheld from 11-on-11 work. Second-year quarterback Riley Leonard and former first-round pick Anthony Richardson — the pair set to compete during camp for the Colts’ backup QB spot — handled 11-on-11 duties as Jones continued to ramp up his on-field work after hitting multiple benchmarks this spring.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters in mid-April that his team’s starting QB, who this offseason agreed to a new two-year, $88 million contract to remain in Indianapolis, had already begun dropping back and throwing, and Jones was on the field for limited action in late-May for the start of the team’s OTA action.
Multiple times, Jones ended practices viewed by the media in late spring with minutes of grueling wind sprints. Though he’s looked less-than-100% in some scramble or rollout drills, the accuracy and velocity of his throws appeared to be unchanged from the quarterback who led the top offense in the NFL through the first 10 weeks of last season before injuries derailed his and his team’s campaign. Jones has been adamant this offseason he was tracking toward another ramp-up come training camp and has showed no doubt in his ability to be ready for the team’s season-opener Sept. 13 in Lucas Oil Stadium as the Colts host the Ravens.
“I’m in a really good spot. I can do everything. There’s nothing that I can’t do,” Jones said Monday in regards to where he is in his recovery process. “There’s still that last little bit that you’re working to get back, but I feel good that in the next month or so as I get back into team drills, 11-on-11 and doing everything again that I’ll be coming back and feeling 100%.”
Through 13 games with the Colts last season, here are the numbers Jones posted:
Indianapolis traded Michael Pittman Jr. in the offseason, but retained other key pass catchers such as Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, and Tyler Warren. In addition, Jonathan Taylor averaged over 106 rushing yards per game when playing alongside Jones
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts QB Daniel Jones shares his status for training camp
Reporting by Cameron Cocquyt and Nathan Brown, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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By Cameron Cocquyt and Nathan Brown, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
