Popular Website Publishes Unserious Vikings Trade Idea
The Minnesota Vikings have plenty of time for trades this summer, equipped with a mostly full draft capital piggybank to wheel and deal if they see fit.
Many trades for the Vikings would make sense this summer, but the latest from Clutch Points is stupid.
If a trade materialized for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, he’d likely target another starting cornerback to play on Sundays next to Byron Murphy Jr.
But not according to Clutch Points. That website claims Adofo-Mensah should trade with the Indianapolis Colts for quarterback Daniel Jones, who just left Minnesota via free agency.
Clutch Points Claims Vikings Should Trade for … Daniel Jones
CP’s RB Hayek nominated three trade ideas for Minnesota this week: Jones, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and guard Cesar Ruiz. Ramsey might make sense; Jones and Ruiz do not.
Hayek explained about Jones to Minnesota, “Sam Darnold agreed to a three-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, effectively leaving the Vikings without their starting quarterback from the 2024 season. No, Darnold was not going to start for the Vikings this season. But his departure leaves the Vikings with Sam Howell as the backup. While Howell has started before, there could be better options in case McCarthy suffers another injury.”
“Daniel Jones inked a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts to become their backup quarterback. If the Colts’ season goes south, they may either turn to Jones or outright trade him. The Vikings could use someone like Darnold to come in and give McCarthy a reliable veteran backup who can be decent occasionally.”
McCarthy is on tap for the QB1 job this season, indeed, and veteran Sam Howell will serve as the QB2.
Hayek added, “Jones started only 10 games for the New York Giants before they released him. In those 10 games, he passed for 2,070 yards while tossing eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. His 79.4 passer rating was the worst among 32 starting quarterbacks.”
“The Vikings are committed to McCarthy, as they should be. However, they might need to upgrade at this position if anything happens to McCarthy. Injuries to quarterbacks are usually the death knell for a team’s season, and the Vikings need the insurance in case anything goes wrong.”
Been There Done That
The Vikings employed Jones last December and this January. He chose Minnesota when the New York Giants cut him loose in the middle of the 2024 season.
Jones lived on the practice squad for a few weeks, elevated to the active roster in the postseason so Adofo-Mensah could grab a compensatory draft pick for his free-agent exit, if applicable. Well, it became applicable, as Jones chose the Colts over the Vikings in March. Adofo-Mensah will enjoy a 4th- or 5th-Round compensatory pick because of Jones’ free agency decision.
If Minnesota wanted Jones as the QB2, he would be on the roster now. Failing to sign him as a free agent but trading a draft pick for him a few months later would be utterly bizarre.
Vikings Pulled the Offer from Jones
In fact, Minnesota and Jones engaged in extension talks leading up to free agency. The Vikings’ brass envisioned a clear QB2 role for Jones behind McCarthy, and credible reporting suggested this offseason that Jones preferred the perk of possibly nabbing a starter’s job with the Colts.
When it became apparent that Jones wasn’t interested in a QB2 job in the Twin Cities, Adofo-Mensah pulled the offer, and Jones later signed in Indianapolis.
The ship has sailed.
Roll with Sam Howell at QB2
During the draft, Adofo-Mensah bartered down 30 spots on the draftboard with the Seattle Seahawks to obtain Sam Howell, who threw for nearly 4,000 yards as a full-time starter in 2023 for the Washington Commanders.
If Howell were onboarded as a starting solution in Minnesota, fans would have every right to roll their eyes. However, he’s in the bullpen as a backup quarterback to support McCarthy, and he might be a Top 5 or so backup passer in the business.
Howell is right for the QB2 job in 2025. No wild Jones swap is required.
Jones Hoping to Snag QB1 Job in Indy
Jones has big plans to win the Colts’ QB1 job later this summer. SI.com’s Drake Wally recently wrote, “If Jones gets starts or outright wins the gig under center, he might play better than ever, especially with an offense-centric coach like Steichen. Jones fits what Steichen wants to do with his accuracy and athleticism, but doesn’t have the potential that Richardson has.”
“If Jones does get opportunities and can’t make the most of them, he’ll likely be a career backup after (what would be) his seventh NFL season without much success. On the flipside, if Jones starts games due to Richardson sustaining too many injuries, Richardson might have a murky future and could end up holding a clipboard.”
Jones actually has a decent chance to topple Anthony Richardson at training camp.
Wally concluded, “Jones decided that Indy was right for him to have the best odds of taking a starting position and re-inserting himself as the lead field general. Jones will have to play good football to get back into the good graces of coaches (or the Colts) as a legitimate starter.”
Clutch Points likely forgot that Jones just played for the Vikings. It’s the only thing that would explain the zany proposal. The theory doesn’t add up.
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