Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity"
Daniel Jones’ midseason addition creates balancing act at QB for Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell
Quarterback Daniel Jones made his first public comments since being released by the Giants and officially signed as a free agent to the Vikings’ practice squad Friday.
Vikings head coach Kevin O‘Connell and new quarterback Daniel Jones may have exchanged some banter when the latter arrived at TCO Performance Center on Friday about one of Jones’ trips as an opponent to the Vikings’ home stadium.
“Our team’s really excited about getting back to U.S. Bank Stadium. I’m sure you are, too,” O‘Connell joked he told the QB, referencing the Giants’ playoff win against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2022.
Said Jones with a laugh later: “I like U.S. Bank Stadium.”
The Vikings officially signed Jones to their practice squad Friday, 11 days after he was benched by the Giants and a week after his release request was granted.
Though Jones was not at practice during the period open to the news media, he had arrived and was wearing a red No. 13 jersey by practice’s end. He made his first public comments about his release and signing afterward.
“It’s been a crazy last couple weeks for sure,” Jones said. “Certainly a lot going on, but at the end of the day, I’m excited to be here. This is an awesome opportunity. Looking forward to learning the system, building relationships with these guys and helping the team.”
With Jones’ addition comes a balancing act for himself and O’Connell, not just because it introduces another player to a QB room staring down the potential of a more significant offseason shakeup with Sam Darnold and two backups in contract years.
O’Connell, when asked about what he sees as Jones’ next step in his progression as a quarterback, said there’s the evaluation of where Jones is at fundamentally and where he can improve weighed against how those things fit in to the Vikings’ offense and what concepts from the Giants might carry over.
“You’re really doing two things at once: You’re building a longer-term kind of foundation, but at the same time keeping a mindset on if Daniel is called upon to play, we want to make sure we’re not wasting time on the present, making sure he’s ready to step in if need be,” O’Connell said. “But as I said, I love our quarterback group. I feel like we’re incredibly fortunate to have the depth in that room that we do.”
Jones made a similar comment when asked whether he sees joining the Vikings as a regrouping move for himself after a rough ending with the Giants.
“I think you’re always looking to grow and improve, and to work on your craft, see where you can get better and work on certain things,” Jones said. “So yeah, I’m looking forward to that, but moreso just to help out. Be part of a good quarterback room, part of a good offense, and see where I can help.”
Jones cited the success of this year’s offense and the system O‘Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips run as part of what stood out about the Vikings as a landing spot for him. He also lauded Darnold for “playing at an extremely high level” as he’s led the team to a 9-2 record.
Source: Startribune
Weird to see him in Vikings swag...
I suspect Sam had good things to say that helped Jones make the decision he did...
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
StickierBuns wrote:
Maybe I'm dense.....that's probably the case.....but I'm just not fully understanding this unless Jones plans to be the backup for 2025. I hear KOC talk about this, I hear Jones talk about it, yet I still have questions. I don't understand the value unless he's here next year.
After listening and thinking a lot about this, I think the case is crystal clear, and the answer lies in the myriad of train tracks this path could travel.
A 6'5" QB with 71 NFL starts, coming from a potentially flawed team and coaching staff, has little value to the rest of the league. He knows it.
He gets to do a reset in a winning culture with a QB savant head coach and learn a few new tricks and/or refine his skills and judgment making on the field
His old team is on the hook for most of the rest of this year's salary.
It costs the Vikings $375k to take a flier.
The Vikings get some interesting insurance at this key position (anyone by chance remember last year when we had to resort to a 5th round rookie and the "Passtronaut")
This gives the Vikings some positional insurance in the event JJM is truly not ready next year.
If Darnold does sign elsewhere for true starter salary ($40 mm+/year), this gives us a solid backup for JJM, or to compete with JJM for the starter job.
Remember the "new Sam" (who we saw more this season than the "old Sam"), it is possible that QB whisperer KOC rejuvenates Jones, as well as his career.
If Darnold does re-sign with the Vikings, and Jones is on the active roster for at least one game (week 18 works fine), and Jones goes on to sign as a FA with someone else, the Vikings get a compensatory pick in a draft where we are decidedly skinny.
This whole thing is like 3 dimensional chess, and Kwesi is winning.
for $375k they get to kick the tires for a few months.
Little risk and some potential reward if they put him on the 53 by wk 18.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
3 months ago if you showed me this picture and said this was our future, I would've said you were on crack.
aroonBells wrote:
3 months ago if you showed me this picture and said this was our future, I would've said you were on crack.
Well they say truth is often stranger than fiction...
Favre to the Vikings was the ultimate bizzaro world for me.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
StickierBuns wrote:
Maybe I'm dense.....that's probably the case.....but I'm just not fully understanding this unless Jones plans to be the backup for 2025. I hear KOC talk about this, I hear Jones talk about it, yet I still have questions. I don't understand the value unless he's here next year.
I don't think there's a specific plan. I really don't. I think it's just a big, messy, really weird ball of contingencies. If a QB goes down and he likes the team, he can sign with them (I think). If no QB goes down, he can wait until March to see what the offers are. If he likes one, he's gone and we get a comp pick. If he doesn't, he stays and becomes our '25 backup...getting a full year and a half in KOC's offense to use as a springboard for "real" money in '26.
I actually think it's pretty wise on the part of Jones and the Vikings.
The Darnold will be taking his talents elsewhere.
Mullens contract expires.
JJM is a rookie with zero regular season snaps
Jones is on the PS. He could get claimed but he can turn it down best I can tell.
That’s our QB room for next year. JJM will get his shot but we need a backup plan.
Darnold is going to be to expensive. Mullens might want back in? Jones could get a decent backup contract and get to compete with JJM next year?
I really don’t know the plan but I’d like to go into next year with more then JJM and Mullens.
StickierBuns wrote:
For me, I'm not against it, at all. It isn't a negative thing. I'm just trying to understand fully the value for both parties....
I think for Jones, it's just going to a much better organization (Vikings facilities and player treatment was #1 the past two years in player surveys) with great coaching. I think he views this as an opportunity to get the Darnold treatment and rehab his game and image. He might not play at all this year, but if he likes it here, he may stick around as a backup and compete with JJ for the starting spot. He's young and smart and probably realizes even sacrificing a year or two of his career to learn from a QB guru is better than going to be a starter on another bad team.
For the Vikings, lots of benefits. Darnold has played well enough to get a starting contract from someone next year. It won't be us because of how the Vikings view JJM. Daniel Jones could be our next Darnold... former first round bust that has some obvious talent and starting experience. If we can convince him to stick around next year to compete and be a backup that would be a great QB room with him and JJM. If he decides to leave in the off-season, we get a comp pick in 2026 and it didn't cost us much. We'll also be getting a good comp pick for Darnold in 2026 if he gets a big contract (but may get canceled out of we make a big FA signing with all our cap room in 2025).
Don't forget the Vikings were looking for a better backup QB after JJM got hurt in preseason. We didn't get one, but now we have one with Daniel Jones if Darnold were to miss some time with injury this season. I think the team likes Mullens as an emergency guy, but not as a backup who needs to finish a season or play more than one game.
Anytime you can get a QB with talent for pennies, you get him in. We all saw last year what happens when your starter goes down and you don't have a viable backup option. Your season is toast. Daniel Jones at least gives you a shot to remain competitive in the regular and post season with this coaching staff and offensive skill guys.
StickierBuns wrote:
Well thought out reply, thank you. I do get that. But here's my puzzlement:
- So a Daniel Jones who JUST got here is going to be better as a backup than a Nick Mullens who has been in this offense for 2 years? Jones won't be checking into our out of anything at the line, limited scope of understanding of the offense, etc.
Not yet, but I do think there is a point at which his knowledge of the offense rises to a point where his talent and knowledge combined put him above Mullens. That won't happen in two weeks, but could it happen in six? I think so.
- Why would he want to be the backup in 2025? How many reps could he possibly get? JJM is going to be getting everything and anything and the vast majority of the focus. Is Jones that desperate to be a part of this culture?
I don't think it's about the culture as much as it is KOC's mentorship. But this is where I get a little confused by it as well. It's hard to see him passing up a starting job opportunity (and the salary that goes with it) in the spring to remain a backup in Minnesota. I think he'll get an offer and I would be surprised if he didn't take it. But the beauty of it for us is that it doesn't really matter. We either get a great backup in 2025 or a comp pick and some really good PR, especially if Jones goes on to be a much better QB having spent some time the Swami.
I would love to have Daniel Jones as the backup next year, but there's zero guarantees of that happening.
Agree. I actually believe it's more likely he's elsewhere in '25. But there's a whole bunch of "if/thens" tied up in this.
My answers above.
I would also be surprised if Jones were here in a back-up role for 25.
His journey to-date is different than Sam's who bounced around for 7 long years across 3 or 4 different teams.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
MaroonBells wrote:
My answers above.
Maybe I’m missing something, but with the amount of money we’re likely to spend in Fee Agency, I don’t think we ever see a comp pick for him.
Here's the thing though... maybe he tests FA to see what teams are interested in him after the season. Maybe none of the teams looking for a QB or bridge starter are appealing to him... I mean he's not getting Baker money coming off his 40 mil per year deal the Giants decided to terminate. He's probably looking at much less on the open market.
And the Vikings with a rookie QB in JJ McCarthy say hey Daniel, we love you and want to give you $10 mil to be our backup and push JJM this season. You'll get a fair shot to win the job and continue to develop with the great offensive coaching staff here in MN.
It's not crazy to think he may take a 1-yr deal to be a backup here versus being a bridge or backup somewhere else. No team is signing him to be their long-term starter at this moment in time. He's not on a Darnold path, this is a Geno Smith path he's treading...
MAD GAINZ wrote:
Here's the thing though... maybe he tests FA to see what teams are interested in him after the season. Maybe none of the teams looking for a QB or bridge starter are appealing to him... I mean he's not getting Baker money coming off his 40 mil per year deal the Giants decided to terminate. He's probably looking at much less on the open market.And the Vikings with a rookie QB in JJ McCarthy say hey Daniel, we love you and want to give you $10 mil to be our backup and push JJM this season. You'll get a fair shot to win the job and continue to develop with the great offensive coaching staff here in MN.
It's not crazy to think he may take a 1-yr deal to be a backup here versus being a bridge or backup somewhere else. No team is signing him to be their long-term starter at this moment in time. He's not on a Darnold path, this is a Geno Smith path he's treading...
That smells realistic...
We certainly got our $10m's worth out of Good Sam this season to date.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Edit Post (mod action — author will see a notice)
Warn Poster
Suspend User (3 days)
The user will be suspended for 3 days and will receive an email with the reason and information about how to appeal.