The past week’s Minnesota Vikings–Aaron Rodgers drama stems from a falling out with their team’s choice of veteran quarterback to sign in free agency — Daniel Jones.
After NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on March 19 that the Vikings are “not pursuing Aaron Rodgers at this time,” the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based insider offered some telling intel on Jones.
Appearing on KFAN-FM 100.3’s “Power Trip Morning Show” that morning, Pelissero revealed the Vikings pulled an offer extended to Jones, who they hoped would re-sign after signing him midseason following his release from the New York Giants.
But when Jones went and explored his options with the Indianapolis Colts, the Vikings turned their shoulder.
“When they got the sense that Daniel Jones was not committed and convicted, they pulled the offer,” Pelissero said on KFAN Radio.
Jones eventually landed a one-year, $14 million deal in Indianapolis — a significant contract indicative that he would compete to start with Anthony Richardson.
The deal was a few ticks more than the one-year, $10 million deal Minnesota signed Sam Darnold to last offseason — but Jones’ decision likely came down to which team had a clearer path to playing time.
With J.J. McCarthy seemingly given the green light as QB1 following the dismissal of Rodgers, Jones would likely have been leaned on to help develop McCarthy and not to lead the team.
Ultimately, pulling the chord on Jones led to the Vikings being subject to the Rodgers rumor mill, which he seemed to have at least entertained themselves.
Ex-Vikings QB Daniel Jones Made ‘Gigantic Mistake’ Joining Colts
The appeal of Jones joining the Vikings was evident with Darnold’s rise to Pro Bowl status after being deemed a first-round bust with the New York Jets.
Darnold flourished in the Vikings’ pseudo-quarterback rehab program, helmed by Kevin O’Connell.
One of the NFL’s coveted quarterback gurus, O’Connell has continued to get more out of whoever is playing the position for him.
However, Jones, who has a 24-44 career record and won just three games in New York after signing a four-year, $160 million contract, will not see the benefits of working with O’Connell long-term.
SKOR North’s Phil Mackey considers his decision to sign with the Colts instead a “gigantic mistake” if it was his doing.
“I hate to say this — [Jones] seems like a nice guy — he’s going to start like six or seven games. Maybe Anthony Richardson gets the nod to start the season as one last-ditch effort. [Richardson] either gets hurt because he takes too many hits or he plays poorly,” Mackey said on March 12.
“Daniel Jones comes in for like a little less than half the season, does not perform well, in part because the Colts just lost 40% of their offensive line to the Vikings, and he will then be relegated to official backup quarterback status for the rest of his career,” Mackey added. “I legitimately think this is a gigantic mistake if it was his decision.”
Vikings Did Not Do Their Homework on Backup Veteran QBs, Insider Says
GettyJ.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings participates in a drill during training camp.
While Darnold signing elsewhere seemed like a foregone conclusion, the Vikings seemed to have hedged their bets on Jones, which ultimately backfired.
In the following days, many free-agent veteran quarterbacks have signed elsewhere while the Rodgers decision was bandied about in Minnesota.
That leaves few options left, which could mean the Vikings pursue their veteran insurance to McCarthy by trade.
“This idea that hey, the options are drying up and this guy signed here and what are the Vikings going to do, I would just tell you guys again, my words, I don’t believe that any of the players who have signed — outside of Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones — I don’t believe any of those guys were players the Vikings were targeting to be the veteran quarterback in the room,” Pelissero said.
“And I don’t necessarily know that any of the current free agents, in terms of the other obvious big names that are on the street, I don’t know that any of them are what the Vikings’ plan is going to be here. There are other avenues that they could pursue.”
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