Last year, the Minnesota Vikings were a home for the NFL’s misfit quarterbacks.
They helped a 27-year-old Sam Darnold rehab his career to the tune of a 14-win season, 4,319 yards passing and 35 touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl nod.
Darnold went on to land a three-year, $100 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, as expected.
Bearing witness to Darnold’s career revival, Daniel Jones signed with the team after the New York Giants released him in November with an understanding he could do the same.
However, Jones departed for the Indianapolis Colts for a better opportunity for playing time in Indianapolis, given the presence of J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota.
But after Anthony Richardson sustained a shoulder injury in spring workouts, Jones appears to have the inside track to win the starting job.
The more playing time Jones sees with the Colts, the better the Vikings are set up to gain a valuable compensatory pick for rostering him last season. Minnesota has landed third-round compensatory picks each of the past two years after Kirk Cousins and Darnold ultimately signed lucrative contracts elsewhere.
It’s in Vikings fans’ best interest to be rooting for Jones even after feeling a bit snakebitten by his surprising departure.
Colts Not Going to ‘Cut Loose’ Anthony Richardson at Training Camp, Moving Forward With Daniel Jones
After a pair of turbulent years due to injury and lack of playing experience, Richardson suffered a right shoulder injury that initially was reported to rule him out for the “foreseeable future.”
Since then, the Colts have come forward with encouraging updates that Richardson should return for training camp — but on a pitch count.
From NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero:
Now, I was separately told yesterday, that he’ll 1000% be ready for training camp, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the Colts will cut him loose, right?
You’re going to ramp him up right after he misses the end of OTAs and minicamp, you’re not just going to go out and have him throw 600 balls on the first day of practice.
So these are reps now that go to Daniel Jones, and he gets more of an opportunity. I know that the coaches in Indianapolis really were excited about the prospect of bringing in Daniel Jones, even though they’ve got this remarkable ball of clay in Anthony Richardson.
It’s a ball of clay that’s been spending so much time in the training room over the past couple of years that it’s cost him those reps that he sorely needed as a young player who had only started 13 college games and really hadn’t played a ton.
Daniel Jones Poised to Do Vikings a Favor
The Colts’ quarterback situation seems bleak with Richardson, who was benched for Joe Flacco last season.
Richardson missing more time in a pivotal year only opens more opportunity for Jones to take the starting reins and run with them.
If Jones can seize the starting job play well enough to return to his status as a starting quarterback, the Vikings will surely be rewarded with a valuable compensatory pick.
