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Vikings QB Sam Darnold reacts to Daniel Jones signing
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold seems prepared to give Daniel Jones a warm welcome.
On Wednesday, Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported the ex-New York Giants starting QB is signing with the Vikings. Darnold indicated he looks forward to becoming Jones' teammate.
BREAKING: Former #Giants QB Daniel
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 27, 2024
Jones is signing with the #Vikings, sources tell @NFLonFOX.
Jones had several options, but prioritized a team in contention with a QB-friendly offensive system and a coaching staff known for maximizing player potential. pic.twitter.com/WCRHSK7JuD
"Signing DJ today, very happy to to be teammates with him," Darnold said, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "Spent some time with him in the past. Great guy. He's played a lot of football, so just to be able to draw from his experience in certain things is going to help this football team."
Darnold could also give Jones tips that may help him revitalize his career.
In his first six seasons with the Jets, Panthers and 49ers, the 2018 No. 3 overall pick went 21-35 and logged a below-average 43.9 QBR. In 11 starts this season, Darnold is 9-2, has recorded an above-average 59.4 QBR and ranks fourth in the league in TD passes (21).
Jones went 24-44-1 in six seasons with the Giants. Before they released him, they benched him for Tommy DeVito, a former undrafted free agent. Could Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell work his magic with Jones, like he did with Darnold?
"Good addition to our QB room. I love our QB room already," O'Connell told the media Wednesday. "I've always been a fan [of Jones]. Really like the person, the human being, the makeup. And then the player Daniel Jones, I think there's so much in front of him that are going to be really good things that we personally get to be a part of."
Of course, Jones won't vie for the starting job this season, but he may receive an opportunity if the Vikings re-sign him next offseason.
Darnold is an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and could sign a lucrative contract elsewhere. Spotrac estimates his market value is a four-year deal worth $32.4M annually.
Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy — the 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft — recently underwent a second surgery on his knee. If he's not healthy at the beginning of next season, perhaps Jones could assume the starting role.
In the meantime, Jones should pick Darnold's and O'Connell's brains to learn as much as possible and make a good impression.
More must-reads:
- What Daniel Jones' addition to Vikings means for ex-Giants QB
- NFL execs pinpoint offseason moment that impacted Daniel Jones
- The 'Most prominent quarterbacks in New York Giants history' quiz
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Steelers Put On Blast By George Pickens
The Pittsburgh Steelers brought plenty of excitement to their fan base when the decision was made to trade for wide receiver DK Metcalf. The prospect of having the former Seattle Seahawks pass-catcher and George Pickens in the same offense was exhilarating. Unfortunately, the anticipation for the 2025 regular season was quickly shut down when Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in May. It now seems as if both the Steelers and the former second-round pick were ready to part ways, especially because the wideout is enjoying his time in the Lone Star State. As training camp begins to ramp up for the 32 NFL teams, a lot of eyes will be on Pickens in Dallas and how he handles his fresh start. He constantly made negative headlines in the Steel City, whether it be questionable comments to the media or inexcusable actions on the field. He has a chance to have a phenomenal year with the Cowboys, but many wonder if he is mature enough to handle the spotlight. Dallas has already started training camp, which means players and coaches alike are available to the media on certain days. Pickens spoke on Tuesday, and he was not subtle about his excitement for the Cowboys' potential on offense. In the process, he made a very direct comment that was clearly an indictment on how things are done in the Steelers' building, according to Joseph Hoyt of Dallas News. Pickens did not mince words, nor did he shy away from the fact that he believes that the Cowboys have better plays than the Steelers. The wide receiver had to deal with Matt Canada for nearly two full seasons, but Arthur Smith apparently did not impress him in 2024, either. Pickens has often been quoted refusing to accept blame for things, so it's not surprise that he is now trying to throw some serious shade at the Steelers' offensive approach. No one can argue that Canada had a good run as the Steelers' play-caller, but Pickens seemed to have a strong season in 2024 prior to suffering a hamstring injury later in the campaign. He has been very adamant about his excitement when it comes to playing for the Cowboys, but also has made it clear that he is happy to no longer be playing in Pittsburgh. Fans in the Steel City will likely never get to see Pickens at his very best while wearing the black and gold, but it appears as if the pass-catcher is very confident that he will have a stout season in the Southwest. There was recently a coaching regime change for the Cowboys, so that could be beneficial for Pickens, or potentially a bad thing depending on how things play out. Pickens has never had a certifiable stud on the opposite side of him, and he will get that with CeeDee Lamb in 2025. It's quite possible that Pickens has a breakout year, but it's evident that he still can't keep certain comments to himself. It won't be long before he is stirring up negative headlines in Dallas if something goes wrong early in the season. Steelers Are Confident That Metcalf Can Shine If both Pickens and Metcalf have successful seasons, not many will worry too much about the separate moves that Pittsburgh made during the 2025 offseason. Metcalf is a little more experienced, and should come with something to prove. If he struggles mightily for some reason, however, it might just prove that Pickens was right to rip into the Steelers' offensive playbook.
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Knicks Predicted to Part Ways With Karl-Anthony Towns in Blockbuster Three-Team Trade
The New York Knicks are looking to make more moves to upgrade their depth as they figure to be one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference next season. Of course, the Knicks made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000 last season and with the amount of injuries to top players in the East, the Conference is wide open entering next season. Because of this, the Knicks have emerged as one of the favorites to win the East thanks to their core led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite this, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently created a three-team mock trade that would see the Knicks move on from Towns. In the trade, the Knicks would add Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III and a 2028 first-round pick via the Portland Trail Blazers while they would send Towns and Pacome Dadiet to Portland. The Trail Blazers would also send Duop Reath to the Atlanta Hawks in this proposed mock trade. While the Knicks are looking at ways to improve their depth, moving on from Towns would be a tough decision for them to make despite his struggles, especially on the defensive side, during the playoffs last season. It would also be a tough decision to swap Towns for Williams III due to his injury history, especially with Mitchell Robinson’s injury history as well and the Knicks’ lack of true center depth. While that may be the case, adding a veteran point guard in Holiday to the second unit could be a good addition to the Knicks’ bench and Williams III would also give them more size. Despite this, it is highly unlikely that the Knicks will move on from Towns this summer and likely into next season as they see their core being able to help them compete for a championship next season.
Chicago Blackhawks Likely to Trade Goalie, Canadian Team Linked
The Chicago Blackhawks are likely to trade one of their three healthy goalies before the regular season begins, and the Edmonton Oilers are emerging as frontrunners. NHL reporter Greg Boysen began the new week off with a flurry of fresh news across the NHL. In Chicago, excitement continues about the prospects of the team, and two old stars weigh their future. Rumors about a possible additional goaltender on the Blackhawks' roster being traded also began. Postmedia's Kurt Leavins wrote that the Edmonton Oilers were having a look at trading for Arturs Silovs, but the Canucks wouldn't make the deal within their division. Arturs Silovs ended up with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Oilers are still looking for a goalie and Chicago has three to choose from That means Oilers GM Stan Bowman is still on the lookout for a goalie. Chicago might have three NHL goalies report to training camp healthy, and that might leave open trade possibilities. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland reported on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio that Anze Kopitar is not looking for a contract extension and will sign year to year. The 37-year-old captain, in the last year of his deal, has played his entire career with the Kings, scoring 440 goals for 1,278 points in 1,454 games. Twice the recipient of the Selke Trophy, Kopitar's future after this season is questionable. Another possible future Hall of Famer in the last year of his contract, Alex Ovechkin, told Russian media that he has he has had no discussions regarding an extension with the Capitals. no discussions regarding an extension with the Capitals. Blackhawks and Oilers supporters will be watching the situation between the goalies tightly, and we expect things to come into focus over the next few weeks.
Alabama lands four-star quarterback over BYU, Boise State
The Alabama Crimson Tide are hoping that they've found a player who can compete to be the quarterback of their future. On Tuesday, Tayden Kaawa from Orem, Utah, committed to Kaleb DeBoer and the Crimson Tide. The BYU Cougars were one of Kaawa's finalists, so it's notable that Alabama was able to pull him out of Utah. He's ranked as the No. 6 player from the state, according to the 247Sports Composite. Boise State was also a finalist, but Alabama's reputation spoke for itself on the recruiting trail with the four-star quarterback. “It’s one of the greatest colleges for football,” Kaawa told Steve Wiltfong of Rivals. “The coaches there are great. They make you a better football player and better person.” Kaawa took an official visit to Alabama in June, and it was that visit that really seemed to have sealed the deal for the Crimson Tide. “Love the environment, the coaching staff to the medical staff,” he explained. Kaawa is Alabama's second 2026 quarterback commitment, joining four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla from Omaha, Nebraska. Kawwa is ranked as the No. 26 quarterback in the 2026 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Thomalla is the No. 12 quarterback according to the same rankings, so it will be interesting to see how the two co-exist in the same class moving forward. With redshirts likely, they could also find themselves on different tracks in Alabama's timeline. Either way, Kaawa is the 20th commitment to an Alabama class that's ranked No. 4 nationally.
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