Daniel Jones To Minnesota Would Be A Win For Both Sides
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
As the old saying goes, a team can never have enough quality players, and the Minnesota Vikings have a perfect opportunity to add to their roster by… signing Daniel Jones?
Wait? That Daniel Jones? A quality player? The guy the New York Giants just cut after he posted a 24-44-1 record? The one who threw almost as many interceptions (7) as touchdowns (8) this year? Yep, that exact Daniel Jones would be the kind of quality backup Minnesota needs as they prepare for a real playoff run.
“I really can’t get into too much about any short-term or long-term,” O’Connell said Monday when discussing Minnesota’s interest in Jones, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “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.”
If anyone has proven an ability to get the best out of quarterbacks it’s KOC. His ability to elevate makes Jones a perfect fit for two potential problems, the current backup AND the future backup.
The Vikings already have their starting quarterback locked in with Darnold, but Jones would be a big upgrade as his backup over Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien. Darnold has gotten banged-up at times, and while he hasn’t missed more than a few plays, having a high-upside and relatively cheap backup would be a great insurance policy to have. With all the Vikings playmakers, the Vikings don’t need an elite quarterback; they need someone who can make the passes that are there and not turn the ball over.
That last part has been the biggest issue for Mullens during his entire career, and would be the No. 1 reason why Minnesota would look for an upgrade in the first place. His gunslinger mentality produces too many turnovers for him to have landed a job as a full-time starter in the league. In 805 passing attempts during his career, he has thrown 31 interceptions. Meanwhile, Jones has 47 picks on his 2,241 career passing attempts. That’s the difference between throwing an interception once in every 25 passes, as Mullens has, and one in every 47 attempts. One in 47 throws might still seem a bit high, but for context, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes has thrown an interception every 53 throws during his NFL career. You can live with that.
No one is saying that Jones would come in play like an MVP, but he’s still got the 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame that gives him high-end mobility. And with the way the Vikings offense is constructed with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and more, they don’t need an MVP. They just need some high-end clay for O’Connell to mold.
There were multiple reasons that Jones failed in New York City, and the lack of weapons at his disposal was a likely contributor — all apologies to super rookie Malik Nabers. With the Vikings, that isn’t something that would be a problem. According to some reports, another reason why it might have failed was the relationship between Brian Daboll and Jones. Many described the relationship as “weird” in the lead-up to Jones’ release.
There wouldn’t ever have to be a concern about the relationship between Jones and Kevin O’Connell being weird. If he does sign with Minnesota, how O’Connell talked about him before he was in Minnesota would give Jones a big boost of confidence.
It’s also a perfect backup situation for Jones, not only for this season but also for next season. With Darnold leading the Vikings to a 9-2 record and finally showing the flashes that the New York Jets saw when he was drafted third overall, it’s hard to imagine Darnold will return to backup J.J. McCarthy, who should be healthy to start next year. Even though he won’t have long to mentor Jones, Darnold’s example could show Jones the perfect route for the next few years.
After spending time with the Jets and Carolina Panthers, Darnold went to be the backup with the San Francisco 49ers last year before joining the Vikings this year to compete in camp. Minnesota would be that San Fran-esque spot for Jones to bide his time, working with a QB guru who can build on his game and raise his confidence. We saw what O’Connell’s presence has done for Darnold’s career, and the exact same thing can happen with Jones.
The Vikings would get a big upgrade at backup for this season, and perhaps next, while Jones gets the perfect situation and coaching staff to give him some confidence back. The pieces are still there for Jones to have a long career. All he might need is a little confidence and an improved offense to get back on the right track. He’d find both in Minnesota.
Up Next