Minnesota Vikings sign QB Daniel Jones to active roster ahead of playoffs
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings have made a quarterback depth move ahead of the team's playoff matchup next week.
On Tuesday, the team announced Daniel Jones, who was signed to the practice squad in November, is now on the 53-man roster. To make room for Jones, the team waived QB Brett Rypien.
According to CBS Sports, Jones is still scheduled to hit free agency in the offseason, but the move of signing him to the active roster means the Vikings will get a compensatory draft pick if he signs elsewhere.
Jones, 27, was benched and later released from the Giants earlier in the season amid a disappointing performance. The team ended the season with a 3-14 record. While Jones' poor play was a factor in his benching, so was his $23 million injury guarantee for next year. The Giants were well out of contention and an injury to Jones would have hamstrung them financially next season.
"It's a classic low risk, I don't know if I want to say high reward, but at least a mild reward move for the Vikings," NFL insider Cody Benjamin told WCCO at the time of his signing to Minnesota.
It is unclear at this point where Jones will fall in the depth chart, but he'll likely be the No. 3 QB. Backup quarterback Nick Mullens has been solid when asked to jump in temporarily in games when Darnold brushed off injuries.
"Adding Daniel Jones just gives [the Vikings] more insurance behind Sam Darnold," Benjamin said. "You never should feel bad about adding quarterback insurance. Daniel Jones is a guy that, at 27, he's got over 70 career starts, if you throw in a couple of playoff games."
Vikings fans are familiar with Jones, as he picked apart the Vikings' defense in the team's 2022 loss in the playoffs after a 13-4 season.
In the wild card round, the Vikings will face the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams on the road. That game is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. Central.
