The Minnesota Vikings‘ quarterback future may center around J.J. McCarthy and Sam Darnold — but Daniel Jones could play a crucial factor in the team’s decision.
In his end-of-season news conference, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed the move to sign Jones late in the season, calling him a “potential option” next season.
Kevin O’Connell maintained that Jones’ arrival in November was to improve the present quarterback room for the 2024 season. O’Connell’s focus on the season at hand is exactly where the head coach’s mind should be.
However, Adofo-Mensah confirmed that the move was also to explore more quarterback options for the 2025 season with many questions surrounding Darnold and McCarthy.
“That was one of the good parts about that move was trying to see, give ourselves options depending on what potentially could happen this offseason,” Adofo-Mensah said January 16. “That was a great opportunity for us, and for Daniel also — it’s two ways to see if this is the building he wants to be in. I’ll keep our conversations private in our exit interviews, but he’s a potential option for us going forward.”
Vikings Excited About Daniel Jones’ Future
Jones’ reputation has tanked since he departed from New York, a similar story for Darnold who fizzled out after three seasons with the New York Jets. However, the former New York Giants quarterback has plenty of playing experience and a playoff win under his belt.
He threw for 301 yards, two touchdowns and added 78 yards on the ground in a 31-24 win over
the Vikings in the 2022 NFC wild-card round — a performance that secured Jones a four-year, $160 million extension.
Considering Darnold’s career rebirth in his first year in Minnesota, Jones has a chance to reinvent himself with the Vikings, who got a good look at Jones and appear interested in bringing him back.
“Obviously, you can watch film and see the talent, although it does help to see it up close at times, but really just how he is in meetings, the types of questions he asks, the dynamics in the room,” Adofo-Mensah said. “Again, most important position in this sport, we’re excited to have potential options we think can give us a certain required level of play to help us compete in games.”
How Daniel Jones Impacts Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy’s Futures
Jones factors into the Vikings’ quarterback future in many ways — but the crux of the dilemma is what to do with Darnold.
There’s a path where all three quarterbacks are in Minnesota for the 2025 season. Jones clearly sees the value the Vikings’ organization can offer a quarterback.
However, he may want a clearer path to playing time and avoid a crowded QB1 battle with McCarthy and Darnold.
But if Minnesota moves on from Darnold, Jones would have a strong chance of starting. McCarthy is coming off meniscus surgery and must rebuild his body and throwing mechanics after losing weight during the recovery process.
McCarthy may not be ready Week 1, which is perfectly fine as long as there is a veteran insurance policy to keep the team competitive.
That’s a similar plan the Vikings had for the 2024 season. There’s a timeline where McCarthy was healthy and took over for Darnold midseason — and that could play out next year with Jones instead.
There is also the potential that Jones moves onto a new team. In that case, the Vikings would likely land a compensatory pick for him — a win-win for a veteran minimum signing made midseason.
