Colts Name Daniel Jones as Starting QB; Buccaneers Face Injury Setbacks

The NFL training camps have produced significant updates as teams prepare for the upcoming season. The Indianapolis Colts have officially named Daniel Jones their starting quarterback for the regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins on September 7, 2025. This decision follows a closely contested battle with Anthony Richardson, which was described as “neck and neck” throughout camp.

Jones, who signed a one-year contract worth $14 million with the Colts in March, has shown superior performance during the preseason. He achieved a passing grade of 73.2 from Pro Football Focus (PFF), compared to Richardson’s grade of 56.6. Richardson, known for his high-risk, high-reward style, ranked second in big-time throw percentage last season but also had a turnover-worthy play rate of 4.7%, the second highest in the league.

While the Colts are moving forward with Jones at the helm, there remains a strong possibility that Richardson could see action later in the season.

In other news, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are grappling with a significant injury as wide receiver Jalen McMillan is set to miss a substantial portion of the regular season due to a severe neck strain sustained during the second preseason game. Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that McMillan’s recovery could keep him sidelined for approximately half of the season.

McMillan, a third-round pick in last year’s draft, had a challenging start to his rookie season, recording no more than four receptions and 35 yards in any of his first eight games. However, he found his stride towards the end of the season, averaging nearly five receptions and 63 yards per game, scoring seven touchdowns in the last five games. With fellow wideout Chris Godwin still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, the Buccaneers will rely on rookie first-round pick Emeka Egbuka to step up early in the season.

In other roster updates, Andrew Thomas, the left tackle for the New York Giants, has been activated off the PUP list and will return to practice this week. This move is vital for the Giants, who ranked 28th in the NFL with a 57.6 PFF pass-blocking grade last season. Thomas, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is regarded as one of the top left tackles in the league, boasting an overall grade of 90.1 since 2021.

Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers are facing injury concerns with wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, who will not practice this week due to a calf injury. Wicks has been dealing with this issue since early August and was unable to fully recover. Although there is hope he may be ready for the season opener against the Detroit Lions, the chances appear to be about 50-50 at this stage. In his first two seasons, Wicks accumulated 78 receptions, 996 yards, and nine touchdowns, making him a key player in the Packers’ receiving corps.

As teams finalize their rosters and prepare for the regular season, updates continue to emerge from training camps across the league. The focus now shifts to how these decisions and injuries will impact the teams as they head into the competitive landscape of the NFL.