Story byJori EpsteinSenior reporterWed, March 4, 2026 at 2:43 AM UTC·2 min readThe Indianapolis Colts tagged quarterback Daniel Jones on Tuesday, but chose to use the $37.8 million transition tag rather than the $43.9 million franchise tag. The tag may send a message about the Colts’ long-term plans — while also clarifying the climate of negotiations. The transition tag gives the other 31 teams more ability to sign Jones than the franchise tag would have. While a non-exclusive franchise tag would have allowed teams to negotiate with Jones, they would have owed the Colts two first-round picks in order to complete the transaction.