Let's say Donald is indicted and waves his pardon in front of the judge and everything is put on hold for 6 months until the SCOTUS decides on the motion or whatever. The FBI take the pardon at face value as does the grand jury and starts cleaning out Donald, imagine what his partners in crimes would be going through, even the ones with pardons who conspired with him?
Joe could call out Trump and say if he had any guts he would sit in the senate (bait him mercilessly). Donald would then force a republican senator out in Florida and have DeSantis appoint him where he would then displace Mitch as minority leader (hopefully) and lead them all to glory, before going to prison. Donald craves attention and this would be a way to stay in the limelight, he'd get the seat, but wouldn't show up for work or even votes, but he would tweet.