The Indianapolis Colts have locked down their quarterback, and now they’re building a fortress around him. After handing Daniel Jones a new extension earlier this offseason, Indianapolis has turned its attention to keeping the pieces around him intact, particularly along the tight end room.

“Sources: The #Colts are re-signing veteran TE Mo Alie-Cox to a 1-year deal. Alie-Cox is a locker room favorite who’s played in 125 games for Indy – amassing 16 TDs while becoming one of the NFL’s premier run-blocking TEs,” Jordan Schultz reported via X on March 14.

An undrafted free agent in 2017, tight end Mo Alie-Cox has become a mainstay in Indianapolis, spending his entire career with the Colts. While Alie-Cox never played college football, what caught the attention of the Colts was his athleticism and imposing 6-foot-5 frame on the basketball court at Virginia Commonwealth University. Still, the Colts treated Alie-Cox as a developmental project, so he began his NFL career on the team’s practice squad and gradually worked his way into their roster.

It was only in 2018 that Alie-Cox got to play in nine games while backing up tight ends Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle. After Doyle retired, Alie-Cox stepped into the starting TE role in 2021 and has never missed a regular-season game since then. Over 125 career games, Alie-Cox has recorded 127 receptions for 1,550 yards and 16 touchdowns, along with six tackles.

Even though Alie-Cox hasn’t surpassed 20 receptions or 200 receiving yards in a season in the last four seasons, the Colts have kept him on their roster for nearly a decade. Why? Because the Colts’ locker room has also consistently praised the veteran TE for his leadership and willingness to do the ‘dirty work’ for the team that often goes unnoticed. Alie-Cox’s physical blocking at the line of scrimmage has helped power Indy’s running game and allowed other pass catchers to move around the formation.

Last year, Alie-Cox’s presence particularly benefited rookie Tyler Warren. With Alie-Cox handling heavy blocking duties, the Colts were able to line Warren up in multiple spots across the field. That flexibility created favorable matchups in both the passing and running game for Indianapolis.

Alie-Cox has also been an offensive weapon that has consistently surprised the opposing defense. At times when defenses have expected Alie-Cox to stay in and block, the Colts have sneaked him into routes. Those moments have produced big gains for the Colts, with the TE delivering 13 receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown just last season.

Now, with his new one-year deal, Alie-Cox will likely return to a rotational role in multiple tight-end sets while continuing to contribute on special teams. And when the Colts reach the red zone in 2026, don’t be surprised if Daniel Jones looks for the veteran TE. But while the Colts focused on retaining key role players like Alie-Cox, the biggest storyline of their offseason remains Daniel Jones’ new contract.

Daniel Jones inks a major extension with Indy despite a significant injury

Last year, when Daniel Jones joined the Colts on a one-year, $14 million deal in free agency, many saw the move as a low-risk experiment. But Jones revived his career by leading the Colts to an unexpected 8–2 start before he suffered a fractured fibula and a ruptured Achilles tendon, which ended his season immediately. Still, Jones recorded 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 13 games last season, and it has convinced the Colts that the QB deserves a longer commitment.

On March 11, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported via X: “Colts and QB Daniel Jones reached an agreement today on a two-year contract, per sources.”

After six turbulent seasons with the New York Giants, the 28-year-old quarterback found a new lease on his career in Indianapolis. But in his first year with the Colts, Daniel Jones set several personal bests, including yards per game (238.5), passer rating (100.2), QBR (63), and completion percentage (68). Jones also finished the year just 104 yards shy of his career-high passing total and 6 touchdowns short of his personal best in touchdown passes.

Considering those numbers, the Colts placed the transition tag on Daniel Jones before the March 3 deadline. That move would have allowed him to play the 2026 season on a one-year, $37.833 million deal if the two sides failed to agree on an extension. Jones agreed to a two-year, $88 million deal with the Colts that could rise to $100 million with incentives, according to ESPN’s Tom Pelissero. The contract gives Jones long-term security in Indianapolis.

The contract includes a base salary of $50 million for 2026, which is around $12.2 million more than what the transition tag would have paid Jones this year. At the same time, while the biggest question revolves around Jones’ health, during his recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the QB offered an encouraging injury update. 

Daniel Jones just revealed that he has recovered from the fractured fibula. But the bigger news is that Jones is also “making good progress with the rehab” with the Achilles injury, which sets him up to recover by Week 1 of the 2026 season.

However, given the severity of his injuries, if Jones isn’t fully cleared by the start of the 2026 season, Colts’ second-year quarterback Riley Leonard could step in to kick off the upcoming NFL season.