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The Minnesota Vikings are considering whether to promote veteran quarterback Daniel Jones from their practice squad to their roster ahead of a crucial Week 18 matchup against the NFC North Division rival Detroit Lions on Sunday (January 5), head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Monday (December 30).
O'Connell said Jones had been "quietly behind the scenes putting in some phenomenal work" since signing as a free agent last month and acknowledged that the team was "gonna have some dialogue" about whether to sign him to the active roster. The Vikings could receive a compensatory pick if Jones is activated and later signs with another team based on his next contract.
“All stuff to be talked about,” O’Connell said via Pro Football Talk. “As coaches, we have not really discussed that other than making sure we’ve got guys ready to roll while also Daniel being on his own kind of individual plan.”
Minnesota currently has Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien listed behind starter Sam Darnold on its 53-man roster with rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy dealing with a season-ending knee injury suffered in preseason. Jones, a former first-round pick, went 2-8 as a starter in 2024, throwing for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on 216 of 341 passing and has a career record of 24-44-1 in 69 starts for the New York Giants before being granted his release last month.
The former Duke University standout was selected by the Giants at No. 6 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft and rewarded with a four-year, $160 million extension in 2023 after a career season and playoff victory, which came against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in the Wild Card round.
The Vikings will face the Lions at Ford Field on Sunday with the winner claiming both the NFC North Division title and the No. 1 playoff seed in the conference.