The Minnesota Vikings are still on the search for a veteran quarterback as insurance for J.J. McCarthy -- but the Aaron Rodgers speculation has ended for now.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on March 19 that the Vikings plan to add a veteran, "but they’re not pursuing Aaron Rodgers at this time."
The void in the quarterback room remains as of Wednesday afternoon, and that's in part because they were spurned by Plan A for the role -- Daniel Jones.
Appearing on KFAN-FM 100.3's "Power Trip Morning Show" on March 19 after he put the Rodgers rumors to rest, Pelissero revealed the Vikings pulled an offer for Jones, who spent the final two months of the regular season with the team but ultimately signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
"When they got the sense that Daniel Jones was not committed and convicted, they pulled the offer," Pelissero said on KFAN Radio.
Jones landed a one-year, $14 million deal in Indianapolis that is a tell he should compete for the starting job with Anthony Richardson.
His path to playing time in Minnesota wasn't as clear with McCarthy expected to be ready for spring workouts.
While Rodgers was the top option available once Jones was signed, he is looking to play, not support the development of a young quarterback.
That's left the Vikings searching for other options -- none of which Pelissero said he believes they were prepared to pursue.
"This idea that hey, the options are drying up and this guy signed here and what are the Vikings going to do, I would just tell you guys again, my words, I don't believe that any of the players who have signed — outside of Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones — I don't believe any of those guys were players the Vikings were targeting to be the veteran quarterback in the room," Pelissero said.
"And I don't necessarily know that any of the current free agents, in terms of the other obvious big names that are on the street, I don't know that any of them are what the Vikings' plan is going to be here. There are other avenues that they could pursue."
