With Daniel Jones reportedly deciding to sign with the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings are in need of a No. 2 quarterback for the 2025 season, assuming J.J. McCarthy is taking over as the team's starting signal-caller.
There are a number of free-agent quarterbacks that are still available for the Vikings to consider, but there's one in particular who seems to fit the description of what the team has looked for in a backup during the Kevin O'Connell era.
After spending last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and fizzling out with the New England Patriots, former first-round pick Mac Jones is a free agent this year, and just like Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones before him, he's someone that O'Connell could be interested in bringing in to help turn his career around.
Former New England Patriots QB Mac Jones fits what the Minnesota Vikings look for in a QB2
With the Jaguars last season, Jones appeared in 10 games, including seven starts. He completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,672 yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions in those 10 appearances to finish with an 80.5 passer rating.
Vikings fans are most familiar with the performance Jones had in a Week 10 loss to Minnesota, when he threw for just 111 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Obviously, his numbers from last season aren't going to blow anyone away. However, Darnold and Jones both had lackluster career stats in the NFL before joining the Vikings, so this isn't something that the team clearly places a large emphasis on when it comes to their backup quarterbacks.
Jones is still only 26-years-old, and early in his pro career, he showed the makings of a solid NFL starter. Over the last few years, it's clear that his confidence has taken a hit, and now he just needs someone like O'Connell to remind him why he was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
While some might like the storyline of Aaron Rodgers finishing out his time in the league as a member of Minnesota, Jones is someone who makes actual sense as a new quarterback for the Vikings to add before next season.