The Minnesota Vikings have had steady quarterback play this season with veteran quarterback Sam Darnold largely impressing in his first season as the starter under head coach Kevin O’Connell. But on Wednesday, the organization added to their quarterback room by bringing in a veteran with plenty of experience under his belt.
Earlier this week, the New York Giants parted ways with longtime starter Daniel Jones after six years with the organization.
Right away, there were a number of suitors that emerged for Jones, including the San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings.
Ultimately, Jones decided that it was best to learn under Kevin O’Connell, signing with the team on Wednesday on a one-year deal that will initially put him on the team’s practice squad.
It is largely assumed that Jones will eventually be the No. 2 quarterback behind Darnold unless something drastic happens down the stretch of this season.
Most quarterbacks would likely see this addition as a threat to their starting job. But shortly after the signing, Darnold shared his admiration for Jones, adding that his experience will help the team.
“Signing DJ today, very happy to be teammates with him,” Darnold said via Pro Football Talk. “Spent some time with him in the past. Great guy. He’s played a lot of football, so just to be able to draw from his experience in certain things is going to help this football team.”
In a lot of ways, Darnold’s career mirrors Jones’ in a sense. Both were drafted to a team in New York, ultimately flaming out before seeking opportunities elsewhere to potentially revive their respective careers.
Darnold has of course now put himself in a position to potentially start in a playoff game this season as long as the Vikings stay on the path they are currently on.
With that in mind, perhaps this could be the best thing for Jones and his career, as he could likely learn a bit about what it takes to go from an NFL Draft bust into a serviceable starter in the NFL from Darnold.
