He addressed the media for the first time on Friday.
“Excited to be here. Excited to be a Minnesota Viking,” he said. “It’s an amazing opportunity. I’m just looking to help out and be a part of this team. I have a lot of drive and I just want to help out in any way I can.”
Jones also explained why he chose to sign with Minnesota, when he reportedly had opportunities to sign with several different franchises.
“You look, offensively, at what they’ve been able to do, the system, Coach O’Connell and his staff, a lot of good things happening across the board as a team and as an organization,” Jones said. “But especially on offense. I’m excited to join that and help out however I can.”
Jones will likely serve as a backup to Sam Darnold, who has been starting all this season in the wake of first-round pick JJ McCarthy’s torn ACL suffered in the preseason. The Vikings are 9-2 and likely playoff bound, and the ability to make the postseason was also a factor in Jones’ decision-making process.
Darnold has struggled at various points this season with turnovers, and if those issues arise again, the Vikings may turn to Jones. And because he signed to the practice squad instead of the active roster, he can freely sign with any other team if their starter is injured and they want to offer him a starting role. He will then be a free agent again next offseason and will be able to decide whether to look for a starting opportunity or sign as a backup and look to rebuild his market value.
