Insider Reveals Mini Bombshell about Vikings QB Plan
Daniel Jones simply didn’t want to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
Insider Reveals Mini Bombshell about Vikings QB Plan
That’s the latest and greatest implication from NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero, who spoke about the Vikings’ offseason quarterback situation on Wednesday.
According to Pelissero, Jones even took a paycut to play for the Indianapolis Colts, the club he joined via free agency.
Tom Pelissero on Daniel Jones’ Paycut with Colts
Pelissero got on a microphone during an episode of the Ross Tucker Podcast and discussed Minnesota’s backup quarterback strategy.
He said about Jones and the Vikings, “It sounded like the Vikings thought Jones was coming back, but they just got the sense late that he was really not convicted about coming back to Minnesota, ended up taking a little bit less in terms of guaranteed money, from the Colts to end up in Indianapolis.”
“You’ve formed this type of system and environment in which any quarterback coming in has played well. ‘We think we can do different things. If you don’t want to be here, we’re not going to hold you.’ So, they pulled the offer to Daniel Jones.”
A source told VikingsTerritory in March that the Vikings didn’t even offer Jones a deal, which jibes with Pelissero’s reporting.
How Jones Got to the Vikings in the First Place
The New York Giants ended the Daniel Jones era during the middle of the 2024 campaign, as the Duke alumnus was benched, politely asked for his release, and New York granted the request.
Jones cleared waivers the following week, and folks then wondered where Jones might land, instantly representing a Top 3 backup quarterback in the business. Minnesota employed reclamation passer Sam Darnold at the time, and heading the bet with Jones on the roster made sense.
Minnesota ultimately won the Jones sweepstakes, and he lived on the practice squad until a playoff roster call-up in January.
Thereafter, because the Vikings had forged a relationship with Jones, most believed he’d extend his stay in 2025 to serve as a backup to J.J. McCarthy. But Jones chased a QB1 job in Indianapolis.
He never played a snap of football for the Vikings
Minnesota Ends Up with Sam Howell via Trade
After Jones signed with Indianapolis, fans waited to discover who would fill Minnesota’s QB2 vacancy. Darnold signed in Seattle for megabucks to lead that franchise as QB1. Long-time QB2 Nick Mullens followed Vikings assistant quarterback coach Grant Udinski to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
One by one, notable backup passers flew off the board to other teams, while onlookers wondered if Minnesota just didn’t care or had forgotten about a backup quarterback.
During the draft, though, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fired off a low-risk trade for Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell, and he’s the new QB2.
Some thought the primary backup for McCarthy in 2025 would be Darnold, Jones, or Mullens. It turned out to be Sam Howell, with side dishes of Brett Rypien and rookie Max Brosmer, who figured to fill out the depth chart as QB3 and QB4.
A QB1 Battle with Anthony Richardson
While Jones probably accepted less money to join the Colts, he’ll have an honest-to-goodness chance to start, pitted against Anthony Richardson in a quarterback competition this summer.
It’s actually not a hot take to predict Jones as the QB1 winner versus Richardson.
Jones would not have been afforded the QB1 job in Minnesota — not by a longshot.
Colts-Themed Media on Daniel Jones
Horseshoe Heroes‘ Cassandra Chesser opined on the Jones intel from Pelissero: “Jones was brought in to serve as competition for Anthony Richardson, who had previously been assumed to have one more chance at QB1. But instead, general manager Chris Ballard announced Richardson would have to fight to keep his job, and they began shopping for quarterbacks, though Jones was always assumed to be a frontrunner.”
“Once all was said and done, Jones signed a one-year deal for $14 million, meaning that both his and Richardson’s fates both hang in the balance of the 2025 season.”
Ironically, Richardson could be a backup quarterback option for the Vikings to monitor in 2026 and beyond, especially if Jones wins the battle this August.
Chesser added, “Yet now, it’s clear that this decision from Jones was a gamble; he could have stayed in Minnesota, and gotten more money to boot. This news makes it clear that the earlier rumors were true: Jones wants the chance to be a starting quarterback again, even though he has struggled almost as much as Anthony Richardson has.”
“If Jones ends up losing QB1 to Richardson, as many believe he will, then his future will be in serious jeopardy. His chances of landing with another team as their starter will be slim to none, whereas staying in Minnesota would have given him a longer future, albeit as QB2. Will it end up being worth the risk? Only time will tell.”
Jones will turn 28 in three weeks.
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