Sam Darnold is expected to secure a starting position elsewhere next season, which means the Minnesota Vikings will likely need to find a new veteran quarterback to replace him.
While J.J. McCarthy is set to be the starting quarterback for the 2025 season if all goes as planned, he is currently the only quarterback under contract for the future beyond this year. The Vikings will need to find a reliable veteran backup who could potentially challenge McCarthy for the starting role if the rookie is not ready for the job by next season.
Daniel Jones could be a good fit for this role. The New York Giants benched Jones this week, casting uncertainty over his future with the team, despite his natural talent as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Former NFL MVP Matt Ryan believes Jones has the potential to revive his career but may need time as a backup to reassess his approach to the game, much like Darnold did before joining the Vikings.
“We’ve seen the reemergence of guys like Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, where it’s taken a few stops along the way, and they’ve ended up in a good situation and been productive,” Ryan said on CBS Sports HQ.
“I think Daniel Jones is hoping for a similar situation—be a backup for a year or two, learn, and maybe get a chance to play and perform well enough to earn a starting role.”
