Vikings Strongly Linked to $160M QB as Sam Darnold Replacement

The Minnesota Vikings haven't made their final decision on Sam Darnold yet, but the writing is pretty clearly on the wall. 

With all signs pointing to a breakup, the two biggest concerns for the front office moving forward are when will J.J. McCarthy be ready to step into the role of starting/franchise quarterback, and who is going to provide the bridge to his NFL actualization?

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN indicated following the combine on Sunday, March 2, that most signs point to a quarterback who already has a history in Minnesota -- albeit a brief one that began in mid-season 2024. 

"One possibility that shouldn't be overlooked in Minnesota is re-signing Daniel Jones to pair with J.J. McCarthy, whenever he's ready off his knee injury," Fowler wrote. "People I've spoken to believe that's a real consideration for the team. As was told to me, McCarthy has already proven to the staff he's the franchise quarterback, but the team won't rush his timeline; they want the process to unfold organically, whether he's ready now, in camp or in a future year. Jones would be a potential bridge to that and a cheaper alternative to Darnold."

The New York Giants released Jones half of a season into his four-year, $160 million contract, of which $92 million was guaranteed. All that money in his pocket, plus a relatively lucrative rookie deal as the No. 6 overall pick in 2019 and the need to rebuild his value all lend to Jones coming in at a reasonable price. 

He also chose the Vikings last year after clearing waivers, when he could have pursued separate opportunities offering a better chance to start. Presumably, that is a vote of confidence in Minnesota's head coach Kevin O'Connell, his scheme and the offensive roster that employs it. 

Darnold rebuilt his value to the tune of potentially $40-$50 million annually on a multiyear contract after a one-year stint with the Vikings, so Jones following the same path is logical. It all may come down to a question of how healthy/ready McCarthy is come training camp. 

There are a number of teams looking for starting QBs this offseason, which is good for a player like Jones, but he doesn't have the leverage in 2025 to command a monster deal. That could change in 2026 if he gets a chance to start with the Vikings, even if the market isn't as favorable from a demand perspective.