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Vikings Closely Monitoring Daniel Jones’ Tag Situation
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- Vikings Closely Monitoring Daniel Jones’ Tag Situation
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
NFL reporters are struggling to get a grasp on what the Minnesota Vikings are trying to do at quarterback this offseason. But every day it feels more likely we've seen the last of JJ McCarthy as this organization's QB of the future.
Unlike last offseason, we aren't hearing the Vikings connected to sure-fire starters like Aaron Rodgers (42) or Kirk Cousins (37) — the type of fading veterans that McCarthy could sit behind in the short-term, then realistically take back over as QB1 down the road.
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Instead , Minnesota is being mentioned a lot in conversations surrounding 28-year-old Kyler Murray , who has a lot of flaws and doesn't necessarily fit Kevin O'Connell's timing-based passing scheme, but who they know would beat out McCarthy, barring a developmental offseason miracle.
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On Tuesday, the MN Vikings are again all over the early morning NFL rumor mill again. This time, the talking point is Daniel Jones and this afternoon's NFL tag deadline. According to Peter Schrager and Adam Schefter today on Get Up (ESPN) , the Indianapolis Colts are expected to Transition Tag Jones before 3 p.m. CST.
Minnesota Vikings lying in wait for Daniel Jones
If that happens, the former Minnesota Viking will be free to field offer sheets from other teams that Indy would then get an opportunity to match. Both ESPN insiders report that the Vikings are a team to watch for Jones, who is expected to be ready by the start of training camp, after suffering a torn right achilles in week 14.
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Schefter, however, has some doubts over how the Vikings — currently $45 million over the cap — would move things around financially, so they could submit an offer sheet large enough that Jones would sign it AND the Colts would refuse to match.
The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly watching the situation in Indianapolis surrounding Daniel Jones and a possible tag by the Colts — which has to be done by 3 p.m. CST today.
If they franchise tag him, the Vikings are out of luck. However, should the Colts use the transition… https://t.co/D7NM23wENa pic.twitter.com/4Mz2qgDNhK— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) March 3, 2026
Schrager : "He's coming back and the hope is that he's be back for the start of the season. There's also another team that's lingering there…the transition tag means someone else can make an offer but the Colts would have the last opportunity to match that offer.
So who would [want] Daniel Jones? The Jets need a QB, and the Cardinals might even. I don't see that. The team I would watch as a possible long shot, but also one that could be angling here, the Minnesota Vikings…keep an eye on the Vikings if the transition tag is applied [to Jones]."
Schefter : "One of the matches potentially could be Minnesota, but Minnesota has cap issues, it would be a hard deal to get done. And as much as they might like Daniel Jones coming back, it's a difficult deal financially to work out if you're the Vikings, if they Colts put the transition tag on him, which I think is the most likely scenario today."
Related: Another Insider Casts Serious Doubt on MN Vikings' Faith in JJ McCarthy
ESPN's reporting on Tuesday morning comes on the heels of a report that dropped Monday at CBS Sports via NFL Insider Jonathan Jones , who wrote that the Minnesota Vikings currently look like the only real competition Indy has for Daniel Jones.
As Schefter noted this morning, the transition tag ($37.8M) would save the Colts ~$6 million this season vs the franchise tag ($43.9M), which could help them work out an extension for WR Alec Pierce , who's also due to hit free agency.
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CBS Sports insider more confident in Vikings' financial flexibility
Unlike Schefty, though, Jonathan Jones is less concerned about the Vikings' ability to make Daniel Jones an offer that could actually entice their former QB, while simultaneously scaring away the Colts from matching.
One league source believes the Colts are taking a calculated risk if they use the transition tag on Jones. The former Giants quarterback wouldn't sign an offer sheet from just anywhere — think the Jets — and teams like the Cardinals and Dolphins may not have the money to get a deal done with Jones. On top of all that, teams may be wary of looking to lock up a quarterback they don't know coming off a major injury.
But the Minnesota Vikings are lurking. Multiple sources have indicated the Vikings are closely monitoring the situation with Indy and Jones. While the Vikings don't have the cap space right now and would need some cap gymnastics to clear enough space to bring him into the fold, the belief is that the Vikings could shift into gear after Tuesday's deadline if the Colts don't issue a tag on Jones.
Related: JJ McCarthy Pushing Vikings to Draft Former Teammate
Dianna Russini (The Athletic) made it clear on her "Scoop City" podcast Monday evening that the Indianapolis Colts do NOT want to let Jones out of the building. But if their path to keeping him is the transition tag… that may not be enough to achieve their goal.
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Normally, teams don't like to negotiate with players on the transition tag. That's because, if the tagging team chooses to match, then you just did all the work to essentially negotiate a contract between a player and another team. However, the Minnesota Vikings' QB situation this offseason is far from normal.
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