Kevin O'Connell a 'Big Fan' of Daniel Jones amid Vikings' Rumored Interest in QB

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell remained coy regarding his team's potential interest in free agent quarterback Daniel Jones, but he is a supporter of the former New York Giants signal-caller's game.

"I really can't get into too much about any short-term or long-term," O'Connell said Monday when discussing Minnesota's interest in Jones, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I can just say that I've been a big fan of Daniel's for a long time and I hope wherever his next step takes him, it's a good opportunity for him."

The comments come after Schefter reported on Sunday that the Vikings and Baltimore Ravens were "two of the likeliest teams to land" Jones, who is interested in joining a playoff contender.

It might not take long for Jones to find his next home after he was waived by the Giants.

As Schefter explained Saturday, there was little doubt he would clear waivers and be free to sign with a team after 4 p.m. ET on Monday because no team was going to claim the remaining balance of his contract at $11.8 million for the rest of this season and the $23 million injury guarantee.

Jones being interested in a playoff contender certainly keeps Minnesota in the fold, as it improved to 9-2 with Sunday's overtime victory over the Chicago Bears. It is still in second place in the NFC North because of the dominant Detroit Lions at 10-1, but it would take quite the collapse for the Vikings to miss the playoffs.

The quarterback position seemed to be a question mark for O'Connell's team at the start of the schedule, as No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury before taking the field for a regular-season game.

Enter Sam Darnold, who, much like Jones, failed to live up to expectations in the Big Apple as an early draft pick after the New York Jets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft.

He bounced around to the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers after going 13-25 as a starter in three seasons with the Jets but has seemingly found a home with a Vikings team loaded with weapons in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson.

Darnold has completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,717 yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season while leading the Vikings into playoff territory.

Jones would surely be the backup to Darnold if he did join Minnesota, but he would provide a game-tested option should the starter suffer an injury. He could also study Darnold as something of a blueprint for reviving a career that didn't go well in New York.