Daniel Jones officially became an unrestricted free agent after clearing waivers on Monday afternoon.
The former No. 6 overall pick of the New York Giants is now free to sign with any NFL team, and ESPN insider Adam Schefter continues to report that the QB’s preference is to “sign with a playoff contender” and that “potential destinations include Minnesota and Baltimore."
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about his team’s reported interest in Jones on Monday and didn’t exactly shoot it down: “I can just say that I've been a big fan of Daniel's for a long time and I hope wherever his next step takes him, it's a good opportunity for him."
Why are the Vikings being named as a suitor for the embattled quarterback? Here are three reasons why Jones could potentially land in the Twin Cities.
1: Vikings wouldn’t be on the hook for Jones’ previous salary
Jones signed a four-year, $160 million extension in March of 2023, and Giants general manager Joe Schoen might never live it down. He was waived just 19 months later, and after clearing waivers, Jones’ next team has the benefit of signing him to a prorated veteran minimum contract for the remainder of 2024.
That means a team like Minnesota could bring the 27-year-old Jones in on an extremely risk-free, team-friendly contract in regards to the salary cap.
Daniel Jones has officially cleared waivers and is now a street free agent. While a signing is imminent, he has no financial reason to rush. Every dollar he earns from his new team will offset from his $35.5M Giants salary due to language in his previous contract.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) November 25, 2024
2: Minnesota must replace Sam Darnold in 2025
For Minnesota, Jones projects as a cheaper bridge-option quarterback than Darnold, who is expected to land a multi-year deal worth around $28 million in average annual value on the open market in 2025. Minnesota will be out at that price, as the team will want to start building around rookie J.J. McCarthy’s rookie contract as soon as possible.
The Vikings currently have one QB signed beyond 2024, and that’s McCarthy. Minnesota will be looking to sign a veteran backup this offseason, and Jones, with 70 career starts, fits the mold.
3. Daniel Jones has untapped potential
There’s a reason the Giants paid Jones in the first place. He led New York to the playoffs in 2022, crushing the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in the wild-card round with 301 yards passing and another 78 rushing. There’s obvious potential there, it’s just a matter of finding the right fit.
The Giants played a role in DJ’s ugly six-year tenure in East Rutherford. Two head coaches were fired over his first three seasons in the league, and 2023 was marred by some of the worst offensive line play in NFL history. The Giants gave up 85 sacks as a team that season, the most in the NFL since 1986. Jones took a weekly beating and wound up tearing his ACL in Week 5.
Has Jones been a great NFL quarterback since entering the league in 2019 out of Duke? Absolutely not. But for a team like Minnesota with a need for a veteran backup quarterback, signing Jones actually makes a lot of sense.
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