Shortly after quarterback Daniel Jones and the New York Giants mutually agreed to part ways in November, he joined the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad as part of a career reset that has included working with well-respected head coach Kevin O’Connell.
It appears Jones could remain with Minnesota beyond the upcoming postseason.
“On Daniel Jones, yes, there is mutual interest, that continued, that Daniel Jones is with the Vikings next year,” team reporter Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News said during a Thursday appearance on the SKOR North “Mackey and Judd Show,” as shared by Jonathan Harrison of Sports Illustrated.
While the 14-2 Vikings will head into the upcoming “Sunday Night Football” game at the 14-2 Detroit Lions with a chance to claim the division title and earn the No. 1 seed for the NFC portion of the playoffs, much remains unknown about Minnesota’s long-term quarterback plans.
Current Vikings QB1 Sam Darnold has become a revelation playing in O’Connell’s offense but is on track to reach free agency when the new league year opens in March. J.J. McCarthy is recovering from the meniscus repair that cost him his entire rookie season, but a report from earlier this week claiming teams “will be checking in with the Vikings to see if they have any interest in trading” McCarthy suggested that Minnesota could secure Darnold’s rights for 2025 either via an extension or the franchise tag.
However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler interestingly noted on Thursday that at least one unnamed AFC executive thinks the Vikings could let Darnold become a free agent because “they have McCarthy, but they also have Daniel Jones, who can be the next resurrection project for them — and both would be much cheaper.”
O’Connell had a front-row view when Jones recorded 301 passing yards, two touchdowns through the air and 78 rushing yards as he guided the Giants to a playoff victory at Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium in January 2023.
There’s probably no scenario in which Jones would happily accept beginning training camp practices cemented as a team’s QB3 for next season. Meanwhile, Minnesota would unlikely have Darnold, McCarthy and Jones share a quarterback room through the end of this coming summer.
O’Connell and Co. will do their best to focus on the club’s pursuit of a Super Bowl berth. Still, questions about Minnesota’s quarterback situation will continue to generate headlines and discussions up until the Vikes play their final game of the season.
