Shane Steichen says Daniel Jones has carried strong camp momentum for the Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are trying to establish a clear internal message at training camp, and quarterbacks are the center of that effort. In comments highlighted by Shane Steichen, the team’s quarterback coach, Daniel Jones’ work has been drawing positive notice during camp and that momentum continued into an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday night.

According to the report, Steichen characterized Jones’ practice week as “on fire right now,” framing it as more than a one-day spike. The emphasis was on process and execution: how Jones is handling day-to-day reps, and how he’s carrying that into live-look situations against teammates. For camp, those intrasquad moments matter because they more closely resemble the reads and timing requirements of game tempo than standard walkthroughs.

From the Colts’ perspective, the value of a strong camp for a starting quarterback is simple. If Jones is working through progressions cleanly, managing the pocket with purpose, and delivering throws with consistency, it speeds up the coaching staff’s ability to build rhythm with the rest of the offense. That includes getting the receivers comfortable with route timing and the offensive line aligned on protection and spacing.

Steichen’s comments also fit the broader role of a quarterback coach during training camp. Quarterback development is measured in small improvements, and the staff typically tracks whether a quarterback is repeating good decisions under mild pressure. An intrasquad scrimmage is one of the first times those traits can be evaluated in a more competitive setting without the finality of a preseason game.

Still, it is important to keep camp context in mind. Performance in a scrimmage does not function as a direct predictor of regular-season results, because game plans, snap counts, and defensive looks can be shaped to emphasize learning points. What the Colts can take from these evaluations is directional confidence, particularly if the quarterback is showing the same behaviors across multiple practices rather than hitting isolated highlights.

As the Colts move deeper into camp, the next questions will be whether Jones can sustain this form as workloads increase, and whether the offense can translate efficient practice habits into repeatable production during late-camp work. The team will also be watching how quickly the offense can run the most important packages with consistent tempo, since preseason and early-season installations tend to reflect what has been installed and trusted at camp.