Daniel Jones is a Minnesota Viking for now, and he said he is not worrying about the future.
Others are, though, with Jones, a former top-10 draft pick, set for unrestricted free agency after the season. There is some thought that he could return to Minnesota in 2025. He would most likely backup rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy if Sam Darnold leaves in free agency.
But the Vikings would be wise to take heed of the lessons the New York Giants had to learn the hard way if they envision him potentially repeating the success Darnold has had this season.
“The Giants made a bad bet thinking that the best was yet to come for Jones after a 2022 season in which he emerged as a capable dual-threat quarterback,” former sports agent and CBS Sports’ Joel Corry wrote on December 4. “Making the playoffs and winning a wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings led to Jones getting a four-year, $160 million deal (worth up to $195 million thanks to incentives and salary escalators) with $104 million in guarantees, of which $81 million was fully guaranteed at signing in March 2023.”
The Daniel Jones 2022 wildcard game will be forever remembered 🥹
Jones’ payday (and franchise-record dead cap hit) is as polarizing as his production.
He completed 64.1% of his passes for 14,582 yards with 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions, starting 69 of his 70 games played in five-plus seasons. But with a 24-44-1 record, and mistakes in critical moments, Jones’ tenure ended prematurely.
Jones’ contract looks even worse compared to some of his fellow highly-paid quarterbacks at the time.
He tied Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford, a champion, as the seventh-highest-paid player.
Corry also examines Kirk Cousins’ $28.5 million dead cap hit, the largest single charge on the Vikings’ books this season. Cousins’ situation was not entirely in the Vikings’ control. But it is another lesson on how betting on QBs can go awry.
Cousins and the Vikings each planned on continuing their relationship into this season and beyond but could not come to an agreement on terms for a new deal.
The Vikings are paying for void years on the back of Cousins’ one-year, $35 million extension.
Giants Took Near-Record Cap Hit to End Daniel Jones Era
GettyFormer New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones looks on against the Dallas Cowboys.
Jones also had the lowest touchdown rate, the sixth-highest interception rate, and the second-worst sack rate in the league among the 17 QBs with at least 2200 pass attempts since the start of the 2019 season through Thursday Night Football in Week 14 of 2024, per Stathead.
He ranks 34th, 19th, and 14th in those metrics in 2024, per Pro Football Reference. His sack rate is the only one of those rates that is above league average.
Jones, the No. 6 overall pick in 2019, lost his job to 2023 undrafted free agent Tommy DeVito.
“A struggling Jones was benched coming out of this season’s Week 10 bye to prevent the Giants from being on the hook for his $23 million 2025 base salary injury guarantee if he were hurt and couldn’t pass a physical next March. The Giants released Jones at his request a couple of days later and he has since joined the Vikings’ practice squad,” Corry wrote.
“Jones’ $47.105 million is the second biggest amount of dead money in NFL history. A majority of this dead money comes from Jones’ fully guaranteed $35.5 million 2024 base salary.”
Who would’ve guessed motioning Wan’Dale Robinson behind 3 bunch receivers would be a screen?
The largest single-season dead cap hit belongs to Russell Wilson. Wilson has rebounded following his release from the Denver Broncos during the 2024 offseason. He has led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 5-1 record since re-assuming his role as QB1 from Justin Fields.
Jones has seen what being in the Vikings’ system can do for a previously underwhelming QB.
Returning to Vikings in 2025 Makes Sense for Daniel Jones
GettyDaniel Jones #13 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Darnold was in a similar situation after his New York Jets tenure. He was a journeyman, having played for the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers before landing in Minnesota.
Returning makes sense for Jones for more work under Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell too.
“Jones could fill the Darnold role for the Vikings next season if Darnold finds a better opportunity elsewhere,” The Athletic’s Mike Sando wrote on December 5. “He could also test the market, although additional time with O’Connell in Minnesota could be good for his career longer term.”
Darnold’s performance could price him out of the Vikings’ range. They still have McCarthy poised to assume the reins once healthy and up to speed, none of which is guaranteed.
Returning would also give Jones more time between his unsuccessful stint as a starter in a positive environment. Darnold spent two years in Carolina. He started 17 of 18 games played. He still needed another season as a backup in San Francisco before getting this opportunity.
Even then, McCarthy might have usurped him during the season if he was healthy.
