The Minnesota Vikings seemingly had their backup plan to Sam Darnold ahead of schedule, signing Daniel Jones midseason after the New York Giants released the former $100 million quarterback.
There was a plan to incubate Jones in the system early and have him fill the role that Darnold had a year ago — competing with first-round pick J.J. McCarthy in training camp.
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However, Jones had other plans.
The former No. 6 overall pick signed with the Indianapolis Colts in March, sending the Vikings on a month-long search for a new veteran backup to complement McCarthy.
In a May 7 appearance on “The Ross Tucker Podcast,’ NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero offered insight into a potential falling out between Jones and the Vikings, which has a sense of some hard feelings.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell reacts before an NFL International Series game against the New Orleans Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“It sounded like the Vikings thought Jones was coming back, but they just got the sense late that he was really not convicted about coming back to Minnesota, ended up taking a little bit less in terms of guaranteed money, from the Colts to end up in Indianapolis,” Pelissero said.
Jones’ interest in the Colts’ quarterback situation is reasonable.
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Anthony Richardson has struggled in the first two years of his career and was benched last season. Richardson is likely on his last chance in what looks like a more open quarterback competition in Indianapolis.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are just entering the McCarthy era, and the 22-year-old quarterback has plenty of runway to win the starting job compared to Richardson.
With consideration that there’s a clearer path to playing time in Indianapolis, Jones bet on himself and took less guaranteed money.
However, the Vikings were seemingly spurned by Jones and, in reaction, pulled their offer, according to Pelissero.
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“You’ve formed this type of system and environment in which any quarterback coming in has played well,” Pelissero said before stating the Vikings’ line of thinking. ” ‘We think we can do different things. If you don’t want to be here, we’re not going to hold you.’ — so they pulled the offer to Daniel Jones.”
Jones’ departure left a vacuum at the veteran quarterback spot that was filled with a flirtation with Aaron Rodgers for weeks leading up to the draft.
The Vikings ultimately shelved conversations with Rodgers, who would only come to be the starting quarterback, and traded back in the fifth round of the draft to land Sam Howell from the Seattle Seahawks.
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