The music videos have been consistent.

A few months ago, head coach Kevin O’Connell appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and talked about the crucial role a team must play in developing a young quarterback. The clip was heavily circulated on the Internet.

Several weeks later, O’Connell found Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson on the field after a game and delivered an uplifting message. Microphones picked up the soundbite, and it too went viral.

.@Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell had some words of encouragement @GVOaant ❤️ pic.twitter.com/TaXW9dFaMx

—NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2024

This may seem like a one-off, a few flattering snapshots of O’Connell at the right time. They’re not.

These moments represent O’Connell’s perspective on coaching the position he once played. If you don’t have empathy and you’re not uplifting – if you don’t everything you can to give your quarterback and team the best opportunities – what do you really do?

O’Connell’s approach isn’t fake either. He is self-aware enough to admit that his perspective was shaped by his journey, his unfulfilled promise as a player. His path has made him who he is as a coach, which has shaped who the Vikings have become as an organization. By design, Minnesota has built and maintained an exceptional infrastructure at quarterback, which is why available players with options – like Daniel Jones – see this as the optimal destination.

On Wednesday, the Vikings signed Jones, 27, to their practice squad. O’Connell spoke to the Vikings’ four current quarterbacks (Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, Brett Rypien and JJ McCarthy) before making the move. Jones is expected to arrive in Minnesota on Friday before Sunday’s Week 13 game at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

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Ex-Giants QB Daniel Jones signs with Vikings

“I had a chance to talk to Daniel on Monday night,” O’Connell said Wednesday. “He was very interested, and rightly so.”

Because the New York Giants released Jones last week, and because he cleared waivers, the Vikings only have to pay Jones a touch above $100,000. Signing a contract with the practice squad, unlike the 53-man roster, also means another team could sign Jones in the event of an injury to the starter. If he is added to the Vikings’ active roster, his price tag could increase.

For now, it feels like a wise move for both parties, as there are short- and long-term benefits for both Jones and the team.

Jones struggled for the 2-9 Giants this season. And instead of being called into action again in a new system and with players with different skill sets, Jones, who is 22-44-1 as a starter, will have something that is rare in today’s NFL: time. Jones will get used to a happy and experienced quarterback room in the coming days and weeks. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski will assist with Jones’ transition, a process Udinski credited with playing a role in the introduction of Josh Dobbs last year.

Darnold, of course, remains the starter. As for the backup spot, the Vikings believe in Mullens. Last year he started three games. He has already appeared twice this season and completed meaningful third downs. Jones could be an option in the most dire situation: a serious injury to Darnold. It would be wrong to see this signing as indicative of anything other than an opportunity for Jones to add insights to the quarterback room and build relationships with coaches and players.

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Vikings hope they have a team to successfully draft and develop a starting quarterback

“The player development side and the quarterback development side are huge passions of mine,” O’Connell said. “I just like having the opportunity to work with guys. … Hopefully our system is built to help guys realize their true potential. It’s that simple.”

But there could also be greater consequences. Of the Vikings’ quarterbacks, only McCarthy is under contract through 2025. He is still recovering from surgery this fall to repair a torn meniscus. The Vikings have reiterated that McCarthy’s timeline is still on track and he should be ready to pick up where he left off this spring and summer. That doesn’t change the fact that Minnesota still needs a quarterback (or two) in 2025.

Signing Jones to the practice squad doesn’t mean Darnold won’t return. That possibility (or lack thereof) will depend on Darnold’s value, which has increased by the week. According to Pro Football Focus, only Josh Allen and Justin Herbert have a higher number of big throws than Darnold this season. He is also completing a career-high 67.6 percent of his passes. His ten interceptions may raise a red flag for some teams, but his combination of toughness and athleticism should put him in position to receive a significant raise.

The main reason the Vikings switched from Kirk Cousins ​​to Darnold (and McCarthy) was the flexibility it offered from a roster-building perspective. That team-building approach remains, potentially pricing Darnold before 2025.

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This is purely speculative, but Darnold’s departure would leave a void, and that’s where Jones presents another option. If Jones fits in seamlessly in the coming months, Darnold continues to excel before leaving this offseason for a huge payday and the Vikings need a quarterback for 2025, they will already have built a relationship with Jones, who will be one of the better ones. available options. Conversely, if Jones doesn’t fit, or if Darnold decides to come back, Jones could sign elsewhere, strengthening the Vikings’ formula for a compensatory pick.

It would take some gymnastics to find a downside here, which is why other respected teams would have reached out to Jones as well.

The Vikings’ pitch was not filled with PowerPoints or talking points, but was full of examples. Privately, Cousins’ departure from Minnesota was difficult because of the extent to which O’Connell gave him power. This spring, the Vikings were committed enough to build an infrastructure that allowed McCarthy’s patience, so they paid more than $10 million for Darnold. O’Connell often talks about the importance of building real relationships with players, and this opportunity made that possible with Jones. The Vikings’ offer confirmed that the discussion point is real.

If you squint, you’ll see a move that’s emblematic of what O’Connell has created in Minnesota: a franchise focused on maximizing the most important position in the sport, not for one season but for the long term.

(Photo of Daniel Jones and Kevin O’Connell: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)