“The first order of business for the new GM is to find the next quarterback,” a longtime NFL executive who knows Ballard well told La Canfora, adding, “That’s where she’s starting.”
La Canfora wrote that it’s “hard to imagine they are not drafting a QB for 2027 or trading for one,” though he also noted the Colts “might be stuck with Jones given how poorly he has played.”
Jones’s Contract Is The Problem
Daniel Jones signed a two-year, $88 million deal this spring after the Colts used the transition tag on him, and La Canfora called the contract “ridiculous in real time” and said it “led directly to Ballard being let go at such an awkward time.”
Jones is still “clearly not right” after tearing his Achilles late last season, according to La Canfora, and he’s tied for 24th in expected points added per dropback among 28 quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts, per Next Gen Stats.
🚨Traded 2026 1st-round pick, 2027 1st-round pick, Adonai Mitchell for Sauce Gardner • Traded Michael Pittman Jr. for 2026 6th-round pick • Signed Daniel Jones to 2-yr, $88M extension https://t.co/inHqROerPm
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) October 19, 2026
Head coach Shane Steichen committed to Jones as the starter after Sunday’s loss to the previously winless Titans, saying, “We’ve got a lot to fix, and we’ve got to fix it in a hurry.”
Assistant GM Ed Dodds will oversee the personnel department for now, and Steichen and his staff will report to ownership, according to ESPN.
La Canfora wrote that “almost everything is on the table” under owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon, and that “a coaching change is inevitable; it’s just a matter of when.”
Gardner And Buckner Could Be Trade Chips
La Canfora wrote that Irsay-Gordon will be trying to clear out some of the mess Ballard made at quarterback and cornerback, and he asked, “Can they move cornerback Sauce Gardner?”
Indianapolis acquired Gardner from the Jets last season for its 2026 and 2027 first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, and he hasn’t recorded an interception for the Colts.
NFL.com noted the 2027 first-round pick the Colts sent to New York currently projects as a top-10 selection.
"Daniel Jones isn't all the way back from that injury.. They're really stacking the box against this Colts team right now" ~ Jim Nantz #PMSLive https://t.co/sSCiwYuAiL
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 20, 2026
La Canfora also wrote, “We suspect defensive tackle DeForest Buckner still carries significant value, having shown no lingering effects from his neck surgery.”
Those are La Canfora’s questions and suspicions, not reports that any team has called, and he cautioned that “trying to rid the franchise of recent mistakes won’t be easy.”
