The Vikings Made a Certain non-Vikings QB a Lot of Money in 2022
Unbeknownst to them at the time, the Minnesota Vikings helped make a certain quarterback a very affluent man for 2023 and beyond.
Daniel Jones and the New York Giants are embroiled in contract extension talks, and on the Vikings grandest stage of 2022, Jones exposed Minnesota’s defense to the tune of an impressive playoff win.
The Vikings Made a Certain non-Vikings QB a Lot of Money in 2022
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Drafted by the Giants in Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft, New York declined Jones’ fifth-year option last offseason and now must decide to pay the man or let him walk. All indications point to a payday for the 25-year-old, a fat contract aided by the Vikings defense twice in 2022.
You see, Jones wasn’t very good until 2022. He was average-to-decent as a developing young quarterback from 2019 to 2021, and even the Giants didn’t want to engage in gridiron matrimony, hence the decline of the fifth-year option. But now, with a fancy playoff win on his resume, Jones and his agent can dictate terms — and make Jones one the highest-paid passers in all the land.
NFL insider Connor Hughes from SNY wrote about Jones’ contact situation this week, “The appropriate figure is believed to be somewhere between $35 and $37 million, two executives familiar with the quarterback market told SNY.”
“Another, whose team is in need of a veteran quarterback and would ‘explore’ Jones if he were available, said he’d have a ‘hard time’ justifying a $40 million figure for him. In the $30 millions? ‘Sure,’ the exec said, ‘but not above,'” Hughes detailed.
The man will get paid, and his trajectory seems to be heading toward “Kirk Cousins money” if he plays his cards right.
Well, thanks, Vikings.
Jones fired up an 81.1 QBR against Minnesota in the Wildcard Round, one of his best performances of the season. It helped that playoff lights shined on U.S. Bank Stadium. Three weeks before, Jones diced Minnesota’s secondary for 334 passing yards in a loss to the Vikings, courtesy of Greg Joseph’s right foot.
But in the postseason, Jones resembled a righthanded Steve Young, opting to run against the Vikings defense 17 times (!!). He accrued 78 yards on the ground, and anytime Minnesota had his underwhelming receivers remotely bottled up, he just skedaddled out of the pocket and moved the sticks.
Here’s another secret: Jones was a decent quarterback when not playing the Vikings in 2022. Jones ranked near the middle of the pack per all meaningful quarterback metrics if the opponent didn’t have horns on their helmets.
Yet, none of that matters because the Duke alumnus has a precious playoff win under his belt. That clout matters, and to a degree, rightfully so.
Jones can thank former Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell for the upcoming contract, and yes, that’s the same Donatell who’s absolutely notorious for getting exposed by mobile quarterbacks.
Imagine this scenaro. What if the Vikings took care of business at home, downing the Giants 31-7 or so, with a poor day from Jones? Then what on Jones’ contract extension?
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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