More Proof of a Daniel Jones Reunion for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings signed Daniel Jones late last season after the New York Giants parted ways, ending a six-year relationship.
More Proof of a Daniel Jones Reunion for Vikings
Jones hit the Vikings’ practice squad, where he remained until the postseason. Minnesota called Jones up to the active roster for its playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
And it was because of that roster call-up that Jones will likely return to Minnesota this offseason, according to ProFootballTalk.com.
PFT’s Mike Florio explained this week, “Only four days before the Wild Card game against the Rams, Jones made a decision that carried with it an important consequence. He signed to the Vikings’ active roster. In that moment, Jones forfeited what would have been a two-month head start on free agency. He could have taken his time, visited teams, and ultimately signed a contract before the feeding frenzy begins in two weeks.”
“The Vikings picked up an incidental benefit, too. If Jones signs with a new team, his departure will be included in the 2026 compensatory draft-pick formula.”
If the goal was to keep Jones for the 2025 season, adding him to the active roster was a win-win for the purple team. It hedged the bet against his departure — the compensatory pick mentioned by Florio. And if he stays, well, the roster call-up helped solidify the long-term commitment.
“Jones had sufficient reason to believe the benefit of taking a possible one-and-done roster spot outweighed the cost to his search for a new team. If Jones knew he could end up playing in the playoffs, that’s a very real reason for giving up a head start on 2025,” Florio continued.
Re-signing Jones, presumably for a QB2 role behind J.J. McCarthy, would likely cost Minnesota between $10 and $15 million per season.
Florio concluded, “The situation also points to the looming possibility of Jones becoming this year’s Darnold in Minnesota. Although the Vikings have yet to re-sign Jones, they believe in him. Unless someone else makes Jones a sizable offer to become the starter, the Vikings could end up keeping him.”
Darnold, on the other hand, is tentatively expected to depart via free agency and sign a new deal worth $40+ million per season with a different team.
If Florio has it correct — his logic checks out — Minnesota’s QB room could look something like this:
- J.J. McCarthy
- Daniel Jones
- Brett Rypien
NFL free agency kicks off in 13 days.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.