Following a frustrating performance on Sunday Night Football in the regular season finale against the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings have a lot of work to do in preparation for their Wild Card playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.
One of the most disappointing parts of Sunday's game was Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold's performance. Minnesota's passer struggled to push the ball into the end zone and efficiently move the team down the field.
A recent transaction is quite interesting. Minnesota changed their quarterback room on Tuesday, opening up some intriguing possibilities for a team that can't afford to come out flat offensively again in their next contest.
Vikings make decision about Daniel Jones before playoff game vs. Rams
The Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams are the last Wild Card game on the schedule. Their trip to Los Angeles is a win-or-go-home situation and being prepared for anything is essential if the purple and gold want to keep their season alive.
Minnesota announced on their official X account that they waived quarterback Brett Rypien. Rypien acted as the team's emergency passer behind Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens on the depth chart for the majority of the season.
To take Rypien's place on the 53-man roster, the Vikings have elevated Daniel Jones from the practice squad. Jones has playoff experience from his time with the New York Giants, including one frustrating win over Minnesota.
The #Vikings have signed QB Daniel Jones to the 53-man roster and waived QB Brett Rypien. pic.twitter.com/ycem45v50j
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 7, 2025
It will be interesting to see what the plan is for Jones on Sunday. Minnesota could use him in the same role they were using Rypien for most of the season or they could choose to shuffle the depth chart a little bit.
For now, Mullens is still the primary backup for Sam Darnold, but head coach Kevin O'Connell could have other plans for Daniel Jones that could give the floor of quarterback play for the Vikings a little boost against the Rams.
Of course, Darnold overall had a great season with the Minnesota Vikings and has bounced back from disappointing performances in the past, but with so much on the line on Monday Night Football, it's not shocking that the team made a change.
Make no mistake, Daniel Jones is no threat to steal the starting job from Sam Darnold. However, his activation to the 53-man roster opens up some options and possibilities if the game doesn't go the way the Minnesota Vikings hope it does on Monday.