The New York Giants released Jones half of a season into his four-year, $160 million contract, of which $92 million was guaranteed. All that money in his pocket, plus a relatively lucrative rookie deal as the No. 6 overall pick in 2019 and the need to rebuild his value all lend to Jones coming in at a reasonable price.

Instead of simply filling in, Darnold delivered the best season of his career, putting up MVP-caliber numbers and leading Minnesota to a 14-2 record. Now, the Vikings must decide whether to roll with McCarthy, who lacks NFL experience, or reward Darnold with a lucrative deal and keep him as the starter.