WESTFIELD, Ind. – Daniel Jones took off and ran a couple times during Saturday's training camp practice at Grand Park, which was moved indoors due to inclement weather.
And there was even a play in the low red zone that appeared to be a designed run for the 29-year-old quarterback. Jones dashed into the end zone on it for a touchdown.
The Colts held four practices in as many days this week, and we'll let tight end Mo Alie-Cox drive home the biggest takeaway from the first stretch of training camp – which is about Jones.
"He looks like he never got hurt," Alie-Cox said. "He's throwing dimes left and right on the field, getting out the pocket, scrambling and different things like that."
Jones earlier this week cautioned he still has boxes to check between now and Week 1 of the 2026 season. This is a guy who sustained a torn Achilles' just under eight months ago, after all. He still has to get his body used to this sort of movement again, and will go through that process over the next six or so weeks.
But then you see Jones hit a play-action rollout to Tyler Warren on one play, scramble on another and move in a manner that reminds you of the quarterback he was over the first half of the 2025 season.
"He's been incredible. He's back like he's never left," left guard Quenton Nelson said. "He worked so hard to get here. It's been awesome to see."
The only recent comparisons the NFL has for quarterback comebacks from Achilles' injuries have been Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers, who both returned in 2024 after season-ending injuries in 2023. Neither quarterback moved particularly well after, but there's important context here: Cousins was 35 and Rodgers was 40 upon sustaining their respective injuries. And both, prior to those injuries, were very much pocket passers.
The Indianapolis Colts took the field at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield for the first practice of 2026 training camp. Check out the best moments from the opening day as players returned to the field to begin preparing for the season.
DT Grover Stewart #90
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Durell Nchami #74
TE Carson Towt #45
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DE Durell Nchami #74, DT Jerry Tillery #94 and DT Derrick Nnadi #92
CB Robert Carter Jr. #39, CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26, LB West Weeks #47 and S Trey Washington #41
C Jimmy Morrissey #65, G Quenton Nelson #56, OL Josh Sills #66, Chris Watt Assistant Offensive Line and T Bayron Matos #78
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81
S Jonathan Owens #38
S Jonathan Owens #38
Shane Steichen Head Coach
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26, S Hunter Wohler #30 and S Trey Washington #41
K Spencer Shrader #3
LS Luke Rhodes #46
QB Riley Leonard #15
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
DT Grover Stewart #90
DE Caden Curry #55
DE Micheal Clemons #72
LB West Weeks #47
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT DeForest Buckner #99
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
CB Sauce Gardner #1
S Camryn Bynum #0
QB Daniel Jones #17
TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Seth McGowan #20
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Deion Burks #80
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81
TE Carson Towt #45 and TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Tyler Warren #84
Shane Steichen Head Coach
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Quenton Nelson #56
S Juanyeh Thomas #33 and S Trey Washington #41
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
CB Sauce Gardner #1
S Camryn Bynum #0
DE Caden Curry #55
QB Daniel Jones #17
S Camryn Bynum #0 and TE Tyler Warren #84
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Laquon Treadwell #13 and WR Ashton Dulin #16
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine # 12
S Daniel Scott #32
LB Jaylon Carlies #57
TE Drew Ogletree #85
QB Anthony Richardson Sr. #5
DT Derrick Nnadi #92
QB Riley Leonard #15
WR Ashton Dulin #16 and CB Justin Walley #27
WR Ashton Dulin #16
Mike Mays - Assistant Equipment Manager, Shane Steichen Head Coach and WR Ashton Dulin #16
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Josh Downs #2 and S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
WR Ashton Dulin #16 and CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
CB Sauce Gardner #1 and S Jonathan Owens #38
S Ben Nikkel #34 and CB Cameron Mitchell #43
S Trey Washington #41
S Trey Washington #41 and S Austin Brown #31
CB Jaylon Jones #40 and S Trey Washington #41
S Trey Washington #41
WR Anthony Gould #6
DT DeForest Buckner #99
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26
RB Seth McGowan #20 and QB Riley Leonard #15
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26
RB Seth McGowan #20
RB Seth McGowan #20
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Colby Wooden #96
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
CB Sauce Gardner #1
CB Sauce Gardner #1
G Quenton Nelson #56
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
LB West Weeks #47
QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7 and WR Laquon Treadwell #13
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Daniel Jones #17
CB Sauce Gardner #1
CB Sauce Gardner #1
DT Grover Stewart #90
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Riley Leonard #15
LB Tahj Chambers #44
LB West Weeks #47
DE Micheal Clemons #72
G Quenton Nelson #56
TE Tyler Warren #84
T Bayron Matos #78, QB Easton Stick #4 and QB Daniel Jones #17
DT Derrick Nnadi #92, DT Cam Ball #64, DE Arden Key #98, DT DeForest Buckner #99, T Bernhard Raimann #79 and G Matt Goncalves #71
G Jalen Farmer #62, C Geno VanDeMark #63, OL Josh Sills #66 and T Bayron Matos #78
TE Tyler Warren #84
G Jalen Farmer #62
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
G Quenton Nelson #56
DE Arden Key #98
General manager Chris Ballard touched on this back in January.
"The history of guys coming back has been pretty good, and they've been older than Daniel," Ballard said. "Daniel is 28 years old (at the time). He's a pretty freaky talent in terms of athletic ability."
Prescribing anything from Cousins' or Rodgers' returns to Jones, from a mobility standpoint, always felt like apples to oranges. And that's been proven to be the case early in camp, as Jones has darted around the practice fields of Grand Park with a familiar level of athleticism for him.
Alie-Cox and his teammates have seen it as a sigh of relief – and a sign of where their QB1 stands as the calendar flips to August.
"Some guys coming off that injury might not try to escape the pocket and different things like that," Alie-Cox said. "But especially being in a practice setting, you don't have to go out there and do that. So him doing that just shows us all he's ready."
News & Notes from Saturday's practice:
- Jones' most impressive play of the day arguably was a touchdown he threw to a leaping Tyler Warren during an 11-on-11 red zone period. Jones looked off a defender to create time for Warren to find open space in the end zone and zipped a pass to the second-year tight end for the score.
- Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell grabbed a touchdown in 11-on-11 red zone work as well.
- Wide receiver Josh Downs had a handful of catches on Saturday, too.
- The Colts held one-on-one receiver vs. cornerback drills for the first time during camp, and cornerback Justin Walley's tight coverage forced an incompletion on a throw to Downs. Walley also had a PBU during early 11-on-11 work.
- Cornerback Sauce Gardner notched a pass break-up in 11-on-11.
- Wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine hauled in a deep ball from quarterback Riley Leonard toward the end of practice. It was part of a move-the-ball period that later saw tight end Drew Ogletree show good balance and concentration to catch a tipped Leonard pass for a score.
- Head coach Shane Steichen was not at practice due to a personal matter.
The Indianapolis Colts arrived at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield on Tuesday, officially kicking off training camp ahead of the team's first practice on Wednesday.
CTanor Bortolini #60
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
OL Josh Sills #66
G Matt Goncalves #71
QB Daniel Jones #17 and Stephen Galvan - Assistant Athletic Trainer
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
G Dalton Tucker #68
G Dalton Tucker #68
LB Jaylon Carlies #57
G Jalen Farmer #62
G Jalen Farmer #62
G Quenton Nelson #56
G Quenton Nelson #56
TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Drew Ogletree #85
Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Tyler Warren #84
T Luke Tenuta #67
T Luke Tenuta #67
K Blake Grupe #10
K Blake Grupe #10
RB DJ Giddens #21
RB DJ Giddens #21
S Hunter Wohler #30
S Hunter Wohler #30
C Josh Kreutz #61
T Blake Freeland #73
LB Austin Ajiake #58
LB Austin Ajiake #58
TE Will Mallory #86
TE Will Mallory #86
S Daniel Scott #32 and Caleb Gilchrist - Production Intern
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
WR Deion Burks #80
WR Deion Burks #80
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
WR Anthony Gould #6
CB Robert Carter Jr. #39, CB Jai'Onte' McMillan #42 and LB Devin Veresuk #48
LS Luke Rhodes #46
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
LS Luke Rhodes #46 and P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8 and LS Luke Rhodes #46
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
CB Justin Walley #27
WR Raylen Sharpe #8
WR Sahmir Hagans #11
DE George Gumbs Jr. #52
DE George Gumbs Jr. #52
T Bernhard Raimann #79 and S Ben Nikkel #34
CB Cameron Mitchell #43
T Bernhard Raimann #79
S Ben Nikkel #34
RB Anderson Castle #42
RB Anderson Castle #42
RB Seth McGowan #20
S A.J. Haulcy #25
T Jalen Travis #75
T Jalen Travis #75
DT Colby Wooden #96
TE Carson Towt #45
TE Carson Towt #45
S Trey Washington #41
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81 and WR Laquon Treadwell #13
WR Laquon Treadwell #13 and TE Mo Alie-Cox #81
WR Laquon Treadwell #13
DT Tim Smith #93
DT Tim Smith #93
LB Tahj Chambers #44 and LB West Weeks #47
TE Sean McKeon #49
DT Tim Smith #93
LB West Weeks #47
TE Sean McKeon #49
LB Tahj Chambers #44
C Jimmy Morrissey #65
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine # 12
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine # 12
T Bayron Matos #78
T Bayron Matos #78
WR Coleman Owen #9
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Coleman Owen #9
WR Alec Pierce #14
DE Mitchell Melton #54
DE Mitchell Melton #54
DE Caden Curry #55
DE Caden Curry #55
CB Jonathan Edwards #35
Mia Guy Creative Video Producer and CB Jonathan Edwards #35
CB Jonathan Edwards #35
Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
T Nolan Rucci #76
S Jonathan Owens #38 and S Juanyeh Thomas #33
S Jonathan Owens #38 and S Juanyeh Thomas #33
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and S Juanyeh Thomas #33
S Juanyeh Thomas #33
S Jonathan Owens #38
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and S Jonathan Owens #38
WR Eli Pancol #83
WR Eli Pancol #83
DT Cam Ball #64
C Geno VanDeMark #63
WR Josh Downs #2
WR Josh Downs #2
WR Josh Downs #2
QB Riley Leonard #15
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
QB Riley Leonard #15
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
QB Riley Leonard #15
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
WR E.J Horton Jr. #10
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Derrick Nnadi #92
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Derrick Nnadi #92
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Jerry Tillery #94
K Spencer Shrader #3
DE Durell Nchami #74
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
WR Ashton Dulin #16
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and WR Ashton Dulin #16
TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Drew Ogletree #85
WR Ashton Dulin #16
DE Arden Key #98
DE Arden Key #98
David Thornton Vice President of Team Engagement
CB Sauce Gardner #1
CB Sauce Gardner #1
David Thornton Vice President of Team Engagement
CB Sauce Gardner #1 and David Thornton Vice President of Team Engagement
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Anthony Richardson Sr. #5
DT Grover Stewart #90
DT Grover Stewart #90
DT Grover Stewart #90
