Vikings Announce Move at the QB Position

Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A Minnesota Vikings helmet sits idle on the field before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings finished their regular season with a loss in Detroit, resulting in a 14-3 record, which is much better than anyone could’ve anticipated. Because of Detroit’s 15-2 record, the franchise will have a road playoff game in the first round. One guy will be dressed for that game.

Vikings Announce Move at the QB Position

All year, Sam Darnold has started at the quarterback position with backup Nick Mullens as the primary alternate. Brett Rypien handled the QB3 duties as the emergency quarterback in case both Darnold and Mullens were to get hurt.

Dec 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Newly acquired Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones walks off the field after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, however, the Vikings waived Rypien and added practice squad passer Daniel Jones to the 53-man roster, the team announced.

That move brings two benefits.

First and foremost, Jones is an experienced starter and likely more trustworthy than Rypien. Having a capable third option makes sense entering the tournament.

In addition to that, however, adding the signal-caller to the 53-man roster makes him eligible for the compensatory formula, which could result in draft compensation in case of a departure in free agency.

ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported, “The Vikings followed through today and signed Daniel Jones to their 53-man roster. They waived QB Brett Rypien to make room. This is mostly about adding Jones to their compensatory draft formula, but it also means that he will be uniform in some capacity in the playoffs.”

vikings
Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell walks onto the field before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Ahead of the Week 18 contest, head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about the potential move, and his response indicated that they had planned to make it happen. “We’re gonna have some dialogue about that (adding Jones to the active roster) as far as the timing of it. Daniel’s been quietly behind the scenes, putting in some phenomenal work. [I’m] probably more excited now than I was to get him in here day one just by what he’s shown us already. That’s definitely something we’re going to talk about.”

Daniel Jones joined the club after the New York Giants had released him. He needed a fresh start, and learning from one of the league’s most respected offensive coaches made sense. The former sixth-overall pick has been on Minnesota’s practice squad ever since and has not made an appearance in a purple uniform on Sundays.

Jones’ tenure with the Giants ended quickly. His breakout season, including the end of the Vikings’ Super Bowl dreams in 2022, was followed by a bad start to the 2023 season and a torn ACL. The quarterback once again struggled this year, and the Giants decided to pull the plug, making sure he couldn’t get hurt and that he wasn’t owed significant injury guarantees.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings Training Camp
Aug 2, 2024; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and quarterback Sam Darnold (14) warm up during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, MN. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota’s QB position will be fascinating to watch in the upcoming months. J.J. McCarthy should be ready to go by the time training camp begins, and all three of Darnold, Jones, and Mullens are scheduled to enter free agency in March.

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) watched by Vikings defenders Ivan Pace (0) and Patrick Jones (91) during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

The Vikings need one veteran as insurance for McCarthy, but it remains to be seen whether it will be the expensive Darnold or a cheaper option like Jones.

Rypien will likely return to the practice squad once he has cleared waivers. However, a different team could snatch the former QB3 via a waiver claim. He has ties to the Rams and their coach, Sean McVay, and gaining an advantage by adding a player from the upcoming opponent could be enticing.

Jones, 27, has started 69 games in his career, resulting in 14,582 passing yards and 70 touchdowns to 47 interceptions in addition to 2,179 rushing yards and 15 more scores on the ground.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.


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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt