Former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, a source told ESPN on Wednesday, a notable move for a team that is likely facing another quarterback transition in the offseason.
Jones became a free agent Monday after clearing waivers following a mutual decision to move on from New York. Sources had told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Jones preferred to sign with a playoff contender, with the Vikings among his potential destinations.
The Vikings are signing Jones to a one-year deal for the remainder of this season for $375,000, a source told Schefter. He will start out on the Vikings' practice squad, leaving the possibility Jones could sign with another team if another starting quarterback went down in the next three weeks.
Jones is scheduled to become a free agent after this season.
Entering Wednesday, the Vikings had only one quarterback under contract for the 2025 season. That's rookie J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending meniscus injury in his right knee during his preseason debut and has since had a second surgery to address swelling that had developed during his rehabilitation. Doctors gave him a biological injection, and the Vikings have said that his timetable for a 2025 return remains on track.
McCarthy's injury shifted veteran Sam Darnold from a likely bridge option to the Vikings' starting quarterback this season. He has led the team to a 9-2 record amid a career year, having already surpassed his career high for touchdown passes in a season (21), and could command a hefty free agent contract this offseason.
In the short term, Jones is likely to back up both Darnold and incumbent No. 2 quarterback Nick Mullens. If nothing else, Wednesday's move will give the Vikings a head start on evaluating whether they would want to pair Jones with McCarthy in 2025. It also places Jones with Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, one of the NFL's best quarterback tutors.
O'Connell has been a fan of Jones since evaluating him during the pre-draft process in 2019, when he was Washington's offensive coordinator. On Monday, O'Connell smiled twice when asked about Jones but declined to get into his interest level.
"I will say, tons of respect for Daniel Jones as a player and a person," O'Connell said. "Got to know him through the draft process years ago. I'm sure now that he's a free agent and there's probably a ton of leaguewide interest in him, Daniel is going to make the decision that is best for him and his career moving forward, and I'm sure he's working through that process right now. ... I can just say that I've been a big fan of Daniel's for a long time, and I hope wherever his next step takes him, it's a good opportunity for him."
One of Jones' best career games came in a wild-card playoff matchup against the Vikings in January 2023, when he completed 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 78 yards. That performance helped lead to the four-year, $160 million contract extension he signed with the Giants prior to the 2023 season.
Jones spent six seasons with the Giants, mostly as the franchise quarterback. The No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Duke, Jones' Giants tenure ended with a 22-44-1 record, 70 touchdown passes and 47 interceptions.
New York announced its intention to part ways with Jones on Friday. Team owner John Mara said in a statement that the organization and Jones mutually agreed that the move would be best for him and for the team. After he was benched last week, Jones effectively was no longer on the depth chart because the Giants would not take any risk of an injury that would trigger a guarantee for the 2025 season.