The Minnesota Vikings hedged their bets with Daniel Jones.
Jones, the No. 6 pick of the 2019 draft, joined the Vikings during the 2024 season after the New York Giants waived him. He did not play in any games, but he did suit up as the emergency quarterback for the NFC Wild Card Game.
Getting Jones into the system early served another purpose, though. The 27-year-old is also a veritable insurance policy in case the Vikings lose Sam Darnold.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes that scenario could play out with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I think the Raiders are gonna make a play for Sam Darnold. I think Sam Darnold’s a candidate to be the Raiders quarterback. We’ll see whether Minnesota lets him go or not, but let’s see if that works out with Sam Darnold winding up in Vegas. And so, if he goes there, then the Vikings have to bring in another quarterback. J.J. [McCarthy], obviously, is going to be there. J.J. is coming along,” Schefter said on the “Pat McAfee Show” on February 10.
“I think that was part of the reason they brought in Daniel Jones; because they were kind of getting him up to speed in their system their organization in the event that they do lose Sam Darnold.”
Jones signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Vikings after the Giants cut him from his four-year, $160 million deal in November 2024.
The QB pointed to the environment Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell as a reason he signed.
Kevin O’Connell Leaves Door Open for All 3 Vikings QBs
Schefter’s comments follow those of O’Connell, who said on “The Dan Patrick Show” on February 13 that the team had yet to decide on a direction between Darnold, Jones, and McCarthy.
O’Connell also said the team remained in contact with all three QBs during the process.
“We haven’t made that decision yet,” O’Connell told Dan Patrick on “The Dan Patrick Show” on February 13. “J.J.’s here every day. But I talked to Sam yesterday for a long time. Talked to Daniel Jones for a long time. I just want those guys to know that there’s an element in this where our relationship matters. The communication between me and those guys has to be paramount, and the agents and our front office, those conversations will go on.”
McCarthy is ahead of schedule in his recovery from the torn meniscus that ended his rookie season after Week 1 of the preseason. O’Connell told Patrick that Darnold likely would have started the regular-season opener even if McCarthy remained healthy.
However, O’Connell said before McCarthy’s injury that he would not cap the rookie’s ceiling. He later suggested the No. 12 pick could have earned the QB1 job at some point.
That is where the situation gets especially interesting for the Jones.
Daniel Jones Could Be Vikings’ Plan C
Schefter’s comments frame Jones as the Vikings’ Plan B. McCarthy’s presence makes Jones more of a Plan C, though. McCarthy is O’Connell’s hand-picked prospect after the head coach admitted to shutting down previous QB experiments.
Every quarterback on the Vikings’ roster is O’Connell-approved.
However, the Vikings put in extensive work evaluating McCarthy against the rest of the 2024 draft class. That could give the rookie the edge over Jones, so long as he is fully healthy.
The choice for Jones could be between the familiarity and proven success of the Vikings or a greater chance to start again with another organization. That could also mean more money for the veteran.
