Daniel Jones, the quarterback, was added to the Vikings’ practice squad after the Giants cut him and he passed waivers. While waiting to see if a quarterback injury elsewhere would allow him to participate, it permitted him to practice with a different squad.
Until the completion of the regular season, he was still a member of the Minnesota practice squad. Then, only four days before the Rams’ Wild Card game, Jones made a choice that had significant ramifications. He became a member of the Vikings’ current roster.
Jones lost out on a two-month head start on free agency at that very time. Before the feeding frenzy starts in two weeks, he might have taken his time, visited teams, and finally signed a deal.
There was also an accidental benefit for the Vikings. Jones’ departure will be factored into the 2026 compensatory draft-pick calculation if he contracts with a different team.
So why did Jones restrict his movement for a mere $49,500 Wild Card game check? Refer back to our January 10 item.
Jones was added to the active roster four days after Sam Darnold, the starter, had a rough game against the Lions in Week 18, which pitted the top seed against the fifth seed. We posed the following questions: (1) if Darnold didn’t perform well in the opening playoff game; and (2) if the Vikings managed to progress, would they turn to Jones in the divisional round?
You have to thread a little needle. QB performance and team success are typically inextricably linked throughout the postseason. In any case, Jones had good cause to think that the advantages of accepting a potential one-and-done roster position outweighed the expense of having to look for a new team. Jones had a very good reason to give up a head start in 2025 if he believed he may wind up participating in the playoffs.
The circumstances also suggest that Jones might end up becoming Minnesota’s Darnold this year. The Vikings trust in Jones, even if they haven’t signed him yet. Jones may end up staying with the Vikings unless he receives a substantial offer from someone else to start.
Even though he, like Darnold, wouldn’t fit the AP’s view that only quarterbacks returning from illness or injury should be eligible, it would still give him the opportunity to become the most recent unsuccessful former New York first-round quarterback to attempt to win the NFL’s comeback player of the year award.
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