{"id":19376,"date":"2024-11-28T05:10:19","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T05:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19376"},"modified":"2024-11-28T05:10:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T05:10:19","slug":"vikings-sign-qb-daniel-jones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19376","title":{"rendered":"Vikings Sign QB Daniel Jones"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rumored early as a Daniel Jones<\/a><\/strong> suitor, the Vikings are indeed making the move. The six-year Giants starter is set to land in Minnesota, Fox Sports\u2019 Jordan Schultz reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ten-plus teams were connected to Jones<\/a>, though money was not believed to be a factor. His first rebound spot will emerge in the Twin Cities, where he will step in as Sam Darnold<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s backup. Jones is expected to sign for the prorated veteran minimum, per ESPN.com\u2019s Dan Graziano<\/a>. That amount will provide a small offset for the Giants, who are eating eight figures in 2024 guarantees from their release<\/a> and Jones then clearing waivers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Although Jones will be positioned to back up Darnold, NFL.com\u2019s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Cameron Wolfe note<\/a> this will first be a practice squad agreement. The Vikings would have the option to elevate Jones three times, but given his experience, it would surprise if the former Eli Manning<\/a><\/strong> successor is on Minnesota\u2019s taxi squad for too long. That $375K number from the Vikings will cover Jones once he is on the active roster, though veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson indicates<\/a> the sides are still finalizing compensation \u2014 perhaps a bump from a standard practice squad salary for the near term.<\/p>\n

This contract\u2019s active-roster salary will indeed be just $375K, per ESPN.com\u2019s Adam Schefter<\/a>, who confirms this is the expected one-year agreement. Jones could still technically bolt Minnesota\u2019s practice squad if another opportunity \u2014 via an injury \u2014 opens up in the near future. Teams attempted to poach Joe Flacco<\/a><\/strong> from Cleveland\u2019s P-squad last year, but with plenty of interest coming in for Jones already, it would surprise if he left the team he carefully selected in order to learn a new playbook elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Jones, 27, enjoyed his finest hour as a pro at U.S. Bank Stadium, piloting the Giants to a wild-card upset to eliminate a 13-4 Vikings team in Kevin O\u2019Connell<\/strong>\u2018s first season. O\u2019Connell, however, has shown an ability to coax quality play from quarterbacks. Darnold\u2019s bounce-back season has most recently revealed this, and Schultz adds Jones wanted to end up in a QB-friendly system with a coaching staff capable of generating the best from passers.<\/p>\n

While Baker Mayfield<\/a><\/strong> ended up in Sean McVay<\/strong>\u2018s QB-friendly system via waiver claim, Jones having $13.81MM in remaining 2024 salary made that route a non-starter for teams. This situation resembles Mayfield\u2019s in terms of a fit, with Jones likely hoping he can use a Vikings stay as a springboard to a 2025 starter opportunity. Contractually, this reminds of Russell Wilson<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s Steelers signing. Wilson\u2019s Denver deal covered him, and after he visited the Giants, the 13th-year veteran landed in Pittsburgh for the veteran minimum.<\/p>\n

Jones, whose comeback from ACL surgery began with a Vikings matchup in Week 1, will join a Minnesota team that has two backup QBs on its active roster. Nick Mullens<\/a><\/strong> is Darnold\u2019s backup, while late-summer addition Brett Rypien<\/a><\/strong> sits as the team\u2019s emergency option. It looks like Rypien\u2019s roster spot will be threatened by the Wednesday agreement.<\/p>\n

The Vikings joined nearly a dozen teams in being connected to Jones. The Ravens, Lions<\/strong>, Dolphins, 49ers<\/strong> and Raiders were among the closely tied teams. Jones was believed to have preferred a contending team<\/a>, and despite the Raiders losing Gardner Minshew<\/a><\/strong> on Sunday (thus opening a potential starting role), the free agent was believed to have ruled out Las Vegas<\/a>. Dan Campbell<\/strong> said Tuesday (via DetroitFootball.net\u2019s Justin Rogers<\/a>) the Lions had not engaged in serious internal discussions on the newly available QB, praising Hendon Hooker<\/a><\/strong>\u2018s development behind Jared Goff<\/a><\/strong>. While some in the league viewed the 49ers as a viable Jones destination, per ESPN.com\u2019s Jeremy Fowler, he will instead join a 9-2 Vikings team on its way to a second playoff berth under O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Giants benched Jones after he was unable to position this year\u2019s team among the NFC\u2019s contender contingent. For the season, Jones ranks 28th in QBR (Darnold is 14th) and threw eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions in 10 starts. Jones also averaged only 6.1 yards per attempt \u2014 33rd this season \u2014 and has never ended a season north of 7.0. The Giants still gave the scrutinized starter six seasons to prove himself, representing a much longer runway than Jones\u2019 performance warranted. Big Blue has turned to<\/a> Tommy DeVito<\/a><\/strong>, though it would not surprise to see UFA addition Drew Lock<\/a><\/strong> see time as well. Jones now will get to work developing in O\u2019Connell\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n

Both Jones and Darnold are due for free agency in 2025, still clearing the runway for J.J. McCarthy<\/a><\/strong>. Minnesota\u2019s first-round pick has undergone a second surgery on his injured meniscus<\/a> but remains on schedule to be ready for the 2025 season. The Vikings are fine with Darnold pricing himself out of town next year, Graziano adds, as it will mean a successful season for the team. Jones could also provide potential cover and a McCarthy insurance option beyond 2024, though it would stand to reason the former No. 6 overall pick\u2019s primary aim will be to land somewhere with a chance to start next year.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connell saw his 2022 team\u2019s defense struggle to contain Jones twice. The then-fourth-year quarterback played well in a narrow loss to the Vikings in Week 16 that season then return to Minneapolis to deliver a versatile effort to propel the Giants to the divisional round. In that first-round playoff tilt, Jones was 24 of 35 for 301 yards through the air \u2014 despite the Giants not having much of note in terms of pass-catching help at the time \u2014 and offered a 17-carry, 78-yard rushing performance. That keyed a 31-24 upset win, one that brought long-term repercussions for the Giants.<\/p>\n

Prioritizing Jones over Saquon Barkley<\/a><\/strong> due to positional value, GM Joe Schoen<\/strong> authorized a four-year, $160MM deal that included $81MM guaranteed at signing. The latter figure will be paid out this year, but the Giants will eat $22.2MM in 2025 dead money due to prorated signing bonus money. Jones did not remotely justify the contract on the field, playing poorly \u2014 albeit behind an injury-riddled offensive line \u2014 before suffering an ACL tear last season and not rebounding at the level the Giants hoped this year. As the Giants\u2019 effort to land Drake Maye<\/a><\/strong> as a Jones replacement failed, Barkley has become an MVP candidate with Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Darnold and Jones will be two of the top free agent QBs available come March<\/a>, though the Vikings will now hold exclusive negotiating rights with both until the legal tampering period begins March 10. Should Darnold suffer an injury or see his play decline significantly, the Vikings now would have Jones to deploy rather than Mullens, who was among the three QBs to make a Minnesota start last year after Kirk Cousins<\/a><\/strong>\u2018 Achilles tear.<\/p>\n

As Jones hopes a stay in a strong offensive system can boost his long-term value, the Vikings have a much better QB2 option as they assemble their pieces for a potential playoff run this season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n