3 Most Likely Mac Jones Trade Destinations Entering Free Agency
By Ryan Bunton
2. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is set to hit free agency and could very well be on his way out of Minneapolis, with the Atlanta Falcons looking like the leader in the clubhouse at the moment. Cousins' departure would leave Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall as the quarterbacks on Minnesota's roster. All three appeared for the Vikings last season, and none threw more touchdowns than interceptions. After last season, this sounds like a quarterback room that Mac Jones could fit right into, but the genuine point is that head coach Kevin O'Connell can't possibly feel 100 percent comfortable going into 2024 with the signal callers that he has in-house.
Similarly to the New York Giants, Minnesota holds a relatively high pick and could look to upgrade at the position through the draft. The Vikings sit at 11th overall and NFL.com has QB as the Vikings' primary area of need in the draft. The team has been linked to Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy at 11.
Former NFL quarterback-turned-head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't shy about airing it out either. Despite playing the last nine games with back-ups and third-stringers, Minnesota still threw the ball over 37 times a game, good for the sixth-highest rate in the league. O'Connell is going to ask a lot out of whoever is under center. Oh, and they just released their starting running back.
The Vikings have a premier group of receiving threats between Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison. Working with Justin Jefferson would be life-changing for Jones after throwing to the likes of DeVante Parker and a washed-up JuJu Smith-Schuster in New England.
O'Connell was a Patriots' third-round pick in 2008, perhaps he can extend a lifeline to another former New England quarterback.