NFL News: Daniel Jones Signed to Vikings’ Active Roster Ahead of 2025 Playoffs

Daniel Jones will be available for the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs.

The Vikings announced Tuesday that they have signed the former New York Giants quarterback to the active roster and waived Brett Rypien in a corresponding move.

Minnesota signed Jones for $375,000 for the remainder of this season in late November after he and the Giants parted ways. It gave the signal-caller the opportunity to join a playoff team and provided experienced depth for the Vikings behind Sam Darnold.

The quarterback position on the NFC North team has been under the spotlight throughout the campaign, as it seemed like it made J.J. McCarthy the present and future of the franchise when it selected him with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 draft.

However, the rookie was lost for the year to injury before he ever stepped on the field in a regular-season game, which left the offense in Darnold’s hands.

It was fair to worry about that development considering Darnold went a combined 21-35 as a starter for the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers and failed to live up to the expectations that were placed on him as the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft.

Yet he exceeded all expectations in Minnesota and led the team to a 14-3 record while completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Such success is a testament to his own resiliency and the situation around him with the Vikings.

There are far worse situations for a quarterback than getting the ball to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, especially doing so while playing for head coach Kevin O’Connell.

Minnesota’s plan will surely be to rely on Darnold as it prepares for Monday’s playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, but it can at least take solace knowing it already found success with one castoff quarterback who did not live up to expectations as a high draft pick in New York if it is forced to turn to Jones.