The most advantageous situation for a player like Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones before free agency is to attract interest from several teams. Given how his time with the New York Giants unfolded, Jones encountered doubts in that area.
After clearing waivers, Jones opted for a one-year contract worth $1.2 million with the Vikings.
He never got the opportunity to play to fulfill his aspirations of restoring his reputation in the NFL. Nonetheless, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicates that Jones is expected to attract several interested teams, including the Vikings.
One option that shouldn’t be ignored in Minnesota is re-signing Daniel Jones to team up with J.J. McCarthy when he’s prepared to return from his knee injury. Individuals I’ve talked to think that’s a genuine factor for the team,” Fowler stated on March 2. “Jones could serve as a possible link to that and a more affordable option than [Sam] Darnold.”
The Browns will take expense into account regarding the quarterback market, since they still owe the injured [Deshaun] Watson $92 million over the upcoming two years. Individuals I’ve conversed with anticipate that Daniel Jones will be on their watch list.
Fowler mentioned that Jones, 27, was also on the Indianapolis Colts’ “radar”.
Jones was selected as the sixth overall pick in 2019. He has passed for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions throughout his career. This features a 2,070-8-7 record with a 63.3% completion rate in 2024.
The Giants released Jones in the second year of a four-year, $160 million deal. Additionally, he has earned $108.2 million throughout his career. It is uncertain how that will affect his decision-making during free agency this offseason.
Fowler’s observation regarding the Vikings’ desire to re-sign Jones corresponds with the thoughts expressed by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah during the 2025 scouting combine.
“We attempt to avoid a binary approach in the quarterback discussion like others do, where you’re either in the top three or considered irrelevant,” Adofo-Mensah informed reporters on February 25. “We discuss it in a slightly different way.” However, Daniel was someone we aimed to bring on board, precisely to understand him better and observe how he would fit into our environment and culture. He’s an excellent choice for us.
He’s similar to the other choices we have, we’ll consider and proceed.
In the Vikings’ favor, Jones is unlikely to demand a high salary given his disappointing performance as the Giants’ starting quarterback. Over The Cap estimates his worth at $13.3 million per year, already surpassing the $10 million Darnold agreed to in 2024.
In an article released on February 24, The Athletic’s David DeChant, Jourdan Rodrigue, and Vic Tafur placed Jones as QB5 and the 51st overall free agent.
Darnold is The Athletic’s top quarterback and the eighth best player accessible this offseason.
Jones needs to decide if he is prepared to compete against McCarthy in training camp. The former may be at a disadvantage due to being a recognized entity with an inconsistent history.
The Vikings moved up in the 2024 draft to pick McCarthy after discussing QBs among themselves.
“According to what I’ve heard, McCarthy has already demonstrated to the staff that he’s the franchise quarterback, but the team won’t hurry his timeline,” Fowler wrote. “They prefer the process to develop naturally, regardless of whether he’s prepared now, during camp, or in a forthcoming year.”
For McCarthy, that is precisely what he desired. He is striving to recover from the torn meniscus that cut short his rookie season during the preseason’s first week.
“All I can request is an equitable chance.” “That’s the one aspect that I believe everyone has provided, and it’s essential,” McCarthy remarked to Rich Eisen on “The Rich Eisen Show” in February. ”When finances are included, situations become intricate, and perspectives become distorted, along with various elements that enter the entire political arena that people discuss.”
