In his end-of-season news conference, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell ensured to make the quarterback room more competitive this upcoming season.
All opportunities are being explored this offseason after a disappointing season from J.J. McCarthy.
While blockbuster trades for Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson make for exciting conversation, the draft capital needed to execute a deal for either quarterback could set Minnesota back for years. Free agency appears to be the more realistic route to finding more talent to compete with McCarthy.
Among pending free-agent quarterbacks is a familiar name: Daniel Jones.
After spending the final month of the 2024 regular season on the Vikings’ practice squad, Jones became a serious MVP candidate with the Indianapolis Colts before injuries foiled his season.
While Jones had a case to be this upcoming season’s Sam Darnold as the top free-agent quarterback on the market, his injury has made him arguably one of the most difficult evaluations on the market.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay appraised the Jones situation and raised a red flag over any team potentially signing him.
Daniel Jones Carries More Risk This Time Around for Vikings
Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts
Appearing in a game for the first time since he was wearing New York Giants colors, Jones opened the 2025 season on a torrid pace.
The Colts averaged a league-high 33.1 points per game through seven weeks, the best start by an Indianapolis team in franchise history that neither Peyton Manning nor Andrew Luck had matched.
However, after a 7-1 start, Jones faded, partially due to playing through an injured left fibula. He ruptured his right Achilles in Week 14, shutting down his season for good.
Jones has done enough to earn himself another contract in Indianapolis. General manager Chris Ballard even said, “Jones has a really bright future here in Indianapolis.”
However, the market will dictate where Jones lands.
“Spotrac projected Jones’ value to be nearly $45 million per year, a major salary commitment to an injury-prone quarterback who has appeared in 16 games during a season just once in his seven-year NFL career,” Kay wrote.
“If the Duke product returns to full strength and gets back to the level he was displaying prior to his injuries this past season, he could be a bargain for one of the many QB-needy clubs around the league. If Jones is limited—much like Kirk Cousins was during his first season with the Atlanta Falcons following a season-ending Achilles tear three years ago—this could be one of the more regrettable free-agent signings in recent history.”
There’s also the question of Jones’ timeline to return from his injuries. His price will likely be lower, and teams may be averse to a multi-year commitment.
Vikings Coach Addresses JJ McCarthy’s Future
In his end-of-season news conference, O’Connell was transparent about how he envisions the quarterback room after there were struggles, no matter who was under center.
“I absolutely want a competitive situation,” O’Connell said. “What that looks like with the reps, I think it’s all predicated on — obviously, J.J. is going to be a major, major emphasis for our staff and our team and me personally. We’ll figure out what that looks like as we navigate, you know, the early part of this offseason when it comes to managing the roster, and I know Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] and his staff will do a great job of that.
What that looks like at a pretty impactful position on your salary cap, when you’re able to possibly plan for your depth chart looking in a way where you can be competitive no matter what.”
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