Daniel Jones activated by the Vikings ahead of NFC playoffs

The Minnesota Vikings are turning heads once again—but not just for their stellar 2025 playoff run. Instead, they’re making waves by activating former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, a move that feels more like a calculated chess play than a football decision.

Jones, once hailed as the Giants’ franchise quarterback, has now become a strategic tool in Minnesota’s postseason playbook. After being released by New York in November, Jones signed with the Vikings’ practice squad for a modest $375,000 deal. By promoting Jones to the active roster, the Vikings are setting themselves up for a potential compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere in free agency.

If Jones were to help the Vikings win playoff games, that would be a bitter pill for Giants fans to swallow. The optics would be humiliating for the Giants, who benched and then released him after they sank to 2-8 and en route to a 3-14 season.

The Vikings’ move serves as a masterclass in organizational competence. By signing Jones to the practice squad, paying him a fraction of his former salary, and then activating him strategically, Minnesota has turned a failed franchise quarterback into a potential future draft pick.

Minnesota waived quarterback Brett Rypien to make room for Jones on the 53-man roster.

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