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Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - purplefaithful - 11-29-2024

Daniel Jones’ midseason addition creates balancing act at QB for Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell

Quarterback Daniel Jones made his first public comments since being released by the Giants and officially signed as a free agent to the Vikings’ practice squad Friday.


Vikings head coach Kevin O‘Connell and new quarterback Daniel Jones may have exchanged some banter when the latter arrived at TCO Performance Center on Friday about one of Jones’ trips as an opponent to the Vikings’ home stadium.

“Our team’s really excited about getting back to U.S. Bank Stadium. I’m sure you are, too,” O‘Connell joked he told the QB, referencing the Giants’ playoff win against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2022.

Said Jones with a laugh later: “I like U.S. Bank Stadium.”

The Vikings officially signed Jones to their practice squad Friday, 11 days after he was benched by the Giants and a week after his release request was granted.

Though Jones was not at practice during the period open to the news media, he had arrived and was wearing a red No. 13 jersey by practice’s end. He made his first public comments about his release and signing afterward.

“It’s been a crazy last couple weeks for sure,” Jones said. “Certainly a lot going on, but at the end of the day, I’m excited to be here. This is an awesome opportunity. Looking forward to learning the system, building relationships with these guys and helping the team.”

With Jones’ addition comes a balancing act for himself and O’Connell, not just because it introduces another player to a QB room staring down the potential of a more significant offseason shakeup with Sam Darnold and two backups in contract years.

O’Connell, when asked about what he sees as Jones’ next step in his progression as a quarterback, said there’s the evaluation of where Jones is at fundamentally and where he can improve weighed against how those things fit in to the Vikings’ offense and what concepts from the Giants might carry over.

“You’re really doing two things at once: You’re building a longer-term kind of foundation, but at the same time keeping a mindset on if Daniel is called upon to play, we want to make sure we’re not wasting time on the present, making sure he’s ready to step in if need be,” O’Connell said. “But as I said, I love our quarterback group. I feel like we’re incredibly fortunate to have the depth in that room that we do.”

Jones made a similar comment when asked whether he sees joining the Vikings as a regrouping move for himself after a rough ending with the Giants.

“I think you’re always looking to grow and improve, and to work on your craft, see where you can get better and work on certain things,” Jones said. “So yeah, I’m looking forward to that, but moreso just to help out. Be part of a good quarterback room, part of a good offense, and see where I can help.”

Jones cited the success of this year’s offense and the system O‘Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips run as part of what stood out about the Vikings as a landing spot for him. He also lauded Darnold for “playing at an extremely high level” as he’s led the team to a 9-2 record.

Source: Startribune

Weird to see him in Vikings swag...


[Image: K5ZIVVVUIBGH5HRXYBZTXNXVUI.jpg?&w=712]

I suspect Sam had good things to say that helped Jones make the decision he did...


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - StickierBuns - 11-30-2024

Maybe I'm dense.....that's probably the case.....but I'm just not fully understanding this unless Jones plans to be the backup for 2025. I hear KOC talk about this, I hear Jones talk about it, yet I still have questions. I don't understand the value unless he's here next year.


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - Montana Tom - 11-30-2024

(11-30-2024, 09:06 AM)StickierBuns Wrote: Maybe I'm dense.....that's probably the case.....but I'm just not fully understanding this unless Jones plans to be the backup for 2025. I hear KOC talk about this, I hear Jones talk about it, yet I still have questions. I don't understand the value unless he's here next year.

After listening and thinking a lot about this, I think the case is crystal clear, and the answer lies in the myriad of train tracks this path could travel.

A 6'5" QB with 71 NFL starts, coming from a potentially flawed team and coaching staff, has little value to the rest of the league.  He knows it.
He gets to do a reset in a winning culture with a QB savant head coach and learn a few new tricks and/or refine his skills and judgment making on the field
His old team is on the hook for most of the rest of this year's salary.
It costs the Vikings $375k to take a flier.
The Vikings get some interesting insurance at this key position (anyone by chance remember last year when we had to resort to a 5th round rookie and the "Passtronaut")
This gives the Vikings some positional insurance in the event JJM is truly not ready next year.
If Darnold does sign elsewhere for true starter salary ($40 mm+/year), this gives us a solid backup for JJM, or to compete with JJM for the starter job.
Remember the "new Sam" (who we saw more this season than the "old Sam"), it is possible that QB whisperer KOC rejuvenates Jones, as well as his career.
If Darnold does re-sign with the Vikings, and Jones is on the active roster for at least one game (week 18 works fine), and Jones goes on to sign as a FA with someone else, the Vikings get a compensatory pick in a draft where we are decidedly skinny.

This whole thing is like 3 dimensional chess, and Kwesi is winning.


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - purplefaithful - 11-30-2024

for $375k they get to kick the tires for a few months.

Little risk and some potential reward if they put him on the 53 by wk 18.


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - MaroonBells - 11-30-2024

3 months ago if you showed me this picture and said this was our future, I would've said you were on crack. 

[Image: K5ZIVVVUIBGH5HRXYBZTXNXVUI.jpg?&w=712]


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - purplefaithful - 11-30-2024

(11-30-2024, 12:06 PM)aroonBells Wrote: 3 months ago if you showed me this picture and said this was our future, I would've said you were on crack. 

Well they say truth is often stranger than fiction...

Favre to the Vikings was the ultimate bizzaro world for me.


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - MaroonBells - 11-30-2024

(11-30-2024, 09:06 AM)StickierBuns Wrote: Maybe I'm dense.....that's probably the case.....but I'm just not fully understanding this unless Jones plans to be the backup for 2025. I hear KOC talk about this, I hear Jones talk about it, yet I still have questions. I don't understand the value unless he's here next year.

I don't think there's a specific plan. I really don't. I think it's just a big, messy, really weird ball of contingencies. If a QB goes down and he likes the team, he can sign with them (I think). If no QB goes down, he can wait until March to see what the offers are. If he likes one, he's gone and we get a comp pick. If he doesn't, he stays and becomes our '25 backup...getting a full year and a half in KOC's offense to use as a springboard for "real" money in '26. 

I actually think it's pretty wise on the part of Jones and the Vikings.


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - Kentis - 11-30-2024

   


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - StickierBuns - 12-01-2024

For me, I'm not against it, at all. It isn't a negative thing. I'm just trying to understand fully the value for both parties....


RE: Jones at practice, excited about "awesome opportunity" - AGRforever - 12-01-2024

The Darnold will be taking his talents elsewhere.

Mullens contract expires.

JJM is a rookie with zero regular season snaps

Jones is on the PS. He could get claimed but he can turn it down best I can tell.

That’s our QB room for next year. JJM will get his shot but we need a backup plan.

Darnold is going to be to expensive. Mullens might want back in? Jones could get a decent backup contract and get to compete with JJM next year?

I really don’t know the plan but I’d like to go into next year with more then JJM and Mullens.