Vikings Likely to Activate the “Other” QB on Sunday

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.

The Minnesota Vikings’ for-all-the-marbles showdown with the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football doesn’t need any more storylines.

Vikings Likely to Activate the “Other” QB on Sunday

But it’ll get one anyway — whether Minnesota activates quarterback Daniel Jones to the active roster.

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

The Vikings hit the road for a date with the Lions at Ford Field in Week 18, taking on the Lions for the NFC North crown, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. It’s arguably the most important regular season game in franchise history.

And in all likelihood, quarterback Daniel Jones will be elevated to the active roster for the event.

ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted Monday, six days before Lions-Vikings: “Kevin O’Connell said the Vikings will discuss whether to add QB Daniel Jones to the 53-man roster this week, which would put him into their compensatory pick formula if he signs elsewhere in free agency. O’Connell said coaches haven’t talked about how that might impact QB depth.”

Seifert also added, “O’Connell said Jones has been ‘phenomenal’ in practice and meetings and added that he’s even more excited about having him here than he was when he first signed.”

New York Giants quarterback D. Jones (8) looks for an open receiver in the first half against the Washington Football Team at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in East Rutherford. Nyg Vs Was. © Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC.

The would-be elevation is noteworthy because, as mentioned by Seifert, the Vikings could receive a compensatory draft pick if Jones bolts for a new team in March. At the very least, he’d play into the NFL’s complicated formula in determining such picks.

If Minnesota does not promote Jones for the game, well, it will not be eligible for compensatory picks. Plain and simple.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah added Jones to the roster last month after the Giants cut ties with the former 1st-Round pick. The working theory suggests that Jones could fill a QB2 job next year in Minnesota if current QB1 Sam Darnold departs via free agency or trade. Rookie J.J. McCarthy would be in line for QB1 if Darnold leaves.

In fact, NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero predicted this elevation decision a few weeks ago. Pelissero explained four weeks ago, “It might be another week, or two, or three before Minnesota adds Jones to the active roster. This is a long-term play by the Vikings. It gives them optionality in the event that Sam Darnold does not return next season.”

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

“Short-term the focus for Jones is just getting into the game plans, learning the language, learning the protections. He’s spending extra time every day with Kevin O’Connell, Grant Udinski, as well as Josh McCown. He’s just learning how they want him to play the position,” Pelissero added at the time.

Darnold has played his way into a fat contract from some NFL team, and it seems unlikely that the Vikings could afford his services, which are expected to fetch between $40 and $50 million per season. A different team will probably pay that price, nominating Darnold as a QB1 or bridge quarterback assignment. Then, unless Minnesota fully trusted Nick Mullens, it would need a QB2 behind McCarthy in 2025. That could be Jones.

S. Darnold and D. Jones Cornhole 10. © USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC. The Minnesota Vikings employed Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones as quarterbacks on the depth chart in 2024. Darnold joined via free agency in March, and Jones did the same in late November. Cornhole 10

Otherwise, the compensatory draft pick would be in play if Jones signs with a new team in free agency, which is 2.5 months away.

The Vikings are 2.5-point underdogs against the Lions.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.