Daniel Jones has found a new home after his release from the New York Giants. According to reports, he will remain in the NFC and head to the Minnesota Vikings.
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NFL insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Cameron Wolfe reported Wednesday morning that Jones will sign with the Vikings' practice squad now that he has cleared waivers. He will have the opportunity to reset his career while potentially competing with Nick Mullens for the backup spot behind Sam Darnold.
Joining the Vikings doesn't give Jones the clearest path to a starting job. However, there is another benefit for the former sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He will have the opportunity to work with a strong offensive mind.
Kevin O'Connell, the Vikings head coach, is a former NFL backup quarterback. He worked his way up the coaching ranks by working in a variety of roles.
He was a quarterback coach in Washington, where he worked with Kirk Cousins. This was a season when Cousins threw for more than 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns, which he used to land a big-money deal with the Vikings.
O'Connell spent two years as QB coach before becoming the offensive coordinator in 2019. He then went to Los Angeles to work with Matthew Stafford and the Rams. He guided this offense to an NFC title and a Super Bowl win in 2021.
Once O'Connell took over as head coach of the Vikings, he reunited with Cousins. The Vikings offense delivered fireworks at times with Cousins under center, including during a 13-4 season in 2022. The veteran signal-caller earned a trip to the Pro Bowl before heading to Atlanta.
KOC's work with quarterbacks has continued with Mullens, who averaged 370 yards per game in three starts last season. It also includes Darnold, who has rebuilt his career in Minnesota this season with a career-high 67.6 completion percentage, 2,717 passing yards, and a 9-2 record.
Like Jones, Darnold is a former first-round quarterback who struggled to deliver success in the nation's No. 1 market. Now, he is on the path to starting a playoff game.
