Daniel Jones signs with the Vikings

[DaveBrown74]

Did you consider that they wouldn't have signed Jones if they were so sold on McCarthy? Not to mention that the latter is recovering from knee surgery and has yet to prove he can run a NFL offense


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Obviously, they were already sold on McCarthy when they used the 10th pick in the draft on him last spring. You don't do that for a player you're only lukewarm on. JJ also looked quite good in the preseason before he got hurt, so there is no reason to believe their opinion of him right now is any less high than it was late last March.

They did not sign Jones because they are suddenly down on McCarthy or because they have a base case of playing Jones over McCarthy for anything other than the short term. They signed Jones because they apparently liked him when he came out of Duke, and they view him as a potential upside opportunity like Darnold.

Obviously, there is a chance JJ could not be fully healthy by September, and there is always a chance he plays poorly enough that they take him out and put Jones in. But Jones was not signed with the current play of starting him over McCarthy longer term. I highly, highly doubt that's on anyone's mind in that coaching staff or front office right now.

[MightyGiants]

Obviously, they were already sold on McCarthy when they used the 10th pick in the draft on him last spring. You don't do that for a player you're only lukewarm on. JJ also looked quite good in the preseason before he got hurt, so there is no reason to believe their opinion of him right now is any less high than it was late last March.

They did not sign Jones because they are suddenly down on McCarthy or because they have a base case of playing Jones over McCarthy for anything other than the short term. They signed Jones because they apparently liked him when he came out of Duke, and they view him as a potential upside opportunity like Darnold.

Obviously, there is a chance JJ could not be fully healthy by September, and there is always a chance he plays poorly enough that they take him out and put Jones in. But Jones was not signed with the current play of starting him over McCarthy longer term. I highly, highly doubt that's on anyone's mind in that coaching staff or front office right now.

The book on JJ coming out of Michigan was that he was young and a bit raw.  No doubt the injury set back JJ's development.  It's also possible come the start of next season, JJ isn't fully ready to start in the NFL.

[MightyGiants]

https://x.com/TomRock_Newsday/status/1861847825530699848

[DaveBrown74]

The book on JJ coming out of Michigan was that he was young and a bit raw.  No doubt the injury set back JJ's development.  It's also possible come the start of next season, JJ isn't fully ready to start in the NFL.

True that JJ is young. I'd be surprised if they intend to not play him in 2025 though once he is deemed fully healthy. It's not unreasonable however to say that, for any number of reasons, Jones could start multiple games next year. I just personally doubt they signed Jones with the intention of starting him all year over JJ or that they're not that high on JJ (I know you did not say this, Rich). If the latter were actually the case, then JJ would be on the trading block and Darnold would be the one getting signed.

[kingm56]

Did you consider that they wouldn't have signed Jones if they were so sold on McCarthy? Not to mention that the latter is recovering from knee surgery and has yet to prove he can run a NFL offense


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I fail to understand your logic; DJ is currently on their practice squad, and to my knowledge on a one year deal.  How does this paradigm comport with your rationale?  Nobody was willing to to give DJ anything more than a moderate deal. 

[H-Town G-Fan]

I fail to understand your logic; DJ is currently on their practice squad, and to my knowledge on a one year deal.  How does this paradigm comport with your rationale?  Nobody was willing to to give DJ anything more than a moderate deal.

I agree. There's a lot of talk in this thread as if Jones is the solution for the Vikings next year. I don't see it that way--seems more like they get to test drive him to see if that's a possibility, while also upgrading at the backup QB position.

[Woody]

https://x.com/TomRock_Newsday/status/1861847825530699848

Good one !!!!!!!!!

[kartanoman]

I think this was an outstanding decision by Jones, assuming he had other options, which I am fairly certain he did. If he chose Minnesota over more money and a possible immediate starting role over someone like Vegas, then I believe he made a very wise choice. Seeing what this supporting cast, this coach, and his staff have done for Darnold's career should be a huge motivating factor here, and I'm sure it was. Darnold will surely be gone next year as the Vikes are going to be moving on to JJ, so I expect Jones to be kept there after this year as a base case. At the absolute worst, he'll be a backup on a successful team with a strong coaching staff. At best, he'll have a chance to start.

Another thing nobody has brought up: Minnesota has some of the nicest people in the country. I'm not suggesting that that drove his decision in any way or should have, but he might find that aspect appealing once he gets there. People are just friendlier there than here. In the event that he continues to struggle, he won't take nearly the amount of heat there that he did here from the fans and media.

Darnold was brutal for his entire six years in the NFL prior to arriving in Minnesota. This year through 11 games he has a rating above 100, a YPA above 8, and his team is 9-2. I think it's reasonable to say that if Jones can't get his play on track in this organization, it will probably never happen.

You win "Post of the Day" with this outstanding synopsis on Daniel Jones' new home in Minneapolis.

This is about as good of a "rest and reset" organization for him that he'll find which met his criteria. Your take on the folks in Minnesota, from my business trips out there, is dead-on accurate. The same goes for the folks in Wisconsin as well. They're the epitome of what "Heartland America" has always been and those values, by and large, hold true to this day. Of course, there's the legend which suggests that after they're all snowed in for the winter, they either learn to like each other and get along or they kill each other after some folks drive each other nuts waiting for the snow to melt!

Just a legend ... don't have any facts to back it up, except I felt stir crazy in Central New York's six-month snow and icy winters so I certainly understand, but I digress!

I wish Daniel Jones all the very best and hope he will have ample time to hit the reset button and have a second crack at restoring his football career. If not, then I wish him the very best in all his future endeavors and thank him for giving his all with the Giants and to keep his head up.

Peace!

[Painter]

What an irony is it when you think that as a consequence of the Vikes decision to sign DJ, Our Heroes might actually be even more inclined try to sign Darnold and thus demur from next year's QB class. 

Cheers!

[kartanoman]

I agree. There's a lot of talk in this thread as if Jones is the solution for the Vikings next year. I don't see it that way--seems more like they get to test drive him to see if that's a possibility, while also upgrading at the backup QB position.

I guess that's understandable but, for his benefit, I hope he doesn't see the field again in 2024 to give him time to just hit the reset button and start fresh in 2025 if the Vikings plan to keep him. I'm kind of hoping the Vikings will try to do for him similar what the Giants, and Jim Fassel and Sean Payton, did for Kerry Collins in 1999-2000. Granted, we're talking two very different skillsets when comparing those QBs; however, in Collins' case, he needed to be retrained, refocused and gradually brought along until he was ready to be the starter, which wasn't until the back end of the 1999 season.

Jones' situation in Minnesota should be even better for him in that he's in a no-pressure situation and can fill in as needed; however, he'll be able to reset, get a full offseason with a new team, new system and a different coaching staff that might find elements of his game that previous coaches were unable to connect with. Maybe not, but who knows? Just getting his confidence back will open the door to those type of possibilities. Nobody's expecting miracles from him but maybe a real QB whisperer might get him right in certain areas other coaches have failed.

It's all speculation but, regardless, his path forward is defined for now. I wish him well and all the success in the world for all the effort he's put into his work.

Peace!

[kingm56]

I agree. There's a lot of talk in this thread as if Jones is the solution for the Vikings next year. I don't see it that way--seems more like they get to test drive him to see if that's a possibility, while also upgrading at the backup QB position.

Exactly, Kyle; the logic expressed in this thread suggests DJ signed a multi-year deal for starter-type money.  He's on the practice squad for heaven sakes. 

[MightyGiants]

"He had a lot of interest, and rightly so," O'Connell said at a Wednesday press conference. "Daniel chose to came here. Had some great dialogue with him over the past couple of days and was really, really excited when he called me and told me he was coming."

O'Connell said that he's happy with the current quarterback room and said starter Sam Darnold has had a "fantastic year," but called developing quarterbacks his passion and said he thinks Jones has "so much out in front of him" despite how things went with the Giants. O'Connell added that he isn't setting any expectations for what will happen once Jones officially joins the team.

"I don't think we need to think about that at this time," O'Connell said. "I'm just excited to get him here. I think there are short-term and long-term conversations that are going on at every position on our roster."

Jones is expected to join the Vikings on Friday.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/kevin-oconnell-excited-daniel-jones-is-coming-he-has-so-much-out-in-front-of-him

[MightyGiants]

https://x.com/SiriusXMNFL/status/1861865559534526832

[Woody]

What could the Vikings have possibly seen in week 1 that made them say, "Oh yeah, that is the guy we want!"?

He beat them in playoffs two years ago at Minnesota


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[DaveBrown74]

https://x.com/SiriusXMNFL/status/1861865559534526832

Wow. Did Pugh lose a ton of weight? He looks totally different here. He looks way younger too.