Team news: Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold has agreed to terms with the Seahawks, per source.

The top free agent quarterback available, Darnold gets the three-year deal he sought and heads to Seattle after a career year in Minnesota.

Related Players: Sam Howell, J.J. McCarthy, Daniel Jones

Darnold gets a long(er)-term deal, but it's not the best situation fantasy-wise. With Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf out of the building, the veteran will see a downgrade both in offensive line and receiver talent from Minnesota. Looking ahead, the Seahawks will get a guy who is seven years younger, but it would be hard to argue that Geno Smith is less talented than the journeyman.

Aaron Jones is back with the Vikings, sources say, getting a 2-year, $20M deal with $13M guaranteed.

Related Players: Cam Akers, Ty Chandler, C.J. Ham

This was probably always the best landing spot for Jones, and he re-joins a Vikings team that only has four draft picks this cycle, which could absolutely mean he comfortably has his 2024 role for another season. Push him back into low-end RB2 range.

Vikings officially will not be tagging QB Sam Darnold, per sources.

Related Players: J.J. McCarthy, Nick Mullens, Daniel Jones

While this doesn't necessarily mean Darnold will not be playing in Minnesota, it does make McCarthy and even Jones more interesting at the time of this news. Potential teams Darnold could land on include the Raiders, Giants, and Jets, among others.

After losing RBs Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell to season-ending injuries, it now looks as if the 49ers will be without RB Isaac Guerendo for Sunday’s game vs. Miami. Guerendo is dealing with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play, per source.

Related Players: Patrick Taylor, Kyle Juszczyk, Israel Abanikanda

Sheesh. We're assuming Taylor will now be the next, next man up, but they also have Abanikanda, as well as Ke'Shawn Vaughn on the practice squad. Taylor should be considered somewhere in the RB3 range if Guerendo is out.

Sam Darnold has played well enough to leave the Vikings more open-minded about their 2025 plans than many realize, according to sources familiar with the Vikings' thinking. They have not ruled out offering him a contract for next season, despite widespread assumptions they will let him sign elsewhere in free agency and hand the job to J.J. McCarthy, who has spent his rookie season recovering from a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Related players: Daniel Jones

The story added the Vikings have also prepared to move on from Darnold, especially if he receives a more lucrative offer from another QB-needy team. Darnold agreed to wear a modified camera on his helmet during practices and walk-throughs to help McCarthy during his recovery process, the story said. McCarthy uses the video to simulate practice reps via virtual reality. The Vikings also signed Jones, who was released by the Giants, to their practice squad last month, a move widely viewed as an early look at a potential candidate to replace Darnold next season as the veteran alongside McCarthy.

The Vikings have started the clock on getting a couple of special teamers back in the lineup.

The team announced on Tuesday that kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola have been designated for return from injured reserve.

Related players: Parker Romo

Romo has gone 11-of-12 on field goals and 7-of-8 on extra points with Reichard out of the lineup. It's not yet clear which kicker will be in action this week. The Vikings are in the early Sunday window at home against the Falcons.

Per Kyle Shanahan, 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey us going back on IR with his PCL injury.

Related players: Isaac Guerendo, Deebo Samuel, Jordan Mason

It’s a 6 week recovery time for CMC, the post went on to say. It's possible he could return if the Niners make a long playoff run, but for this fantasy season, McCaffrey is done. Sandler, in a separate post, mentioned that Mason will also go on IR with a high ankle sprain, leaving Guerendo as the assumed RB1. The Niners will have to make a move to bring in more running backs, but the team did trade up in the fourth round to pick Guerendo, so it's possible they give him a legit chance the rest of the season. He should be a popular pickup off the wire this week.

Former Giants QB Daniel Jones plans to sign with the Vikings practice squad, after having cleared waivers, per me, @TomPelissero and @CameronWolfe.

A new beginning and opportunity for Jones with a chance to the backup.

Related Players: Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, Brett Rypien

This seems like a great signing for both parties; Jones breathes new life into his NFL career and the Vikings have a legit backup in case anything happens to Darnold. We'll see if KOC can work his magic on Jones and revive a career that was heading in a terrible direction.

T.J. Hockenson said this week that "I would expect things to go up" in terms of snaps moving forward. Certainly a possibility Sunday if Josh Oliver (ankle) can't play.

Seifert also noted that Hockenson's snap rate is down at 45.5% after hitting 79.5% last season. The tight end has a decent matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, making him a low-end TE1 option.

Forgotten moment from yesterday in the aftermath of the worst loss in franchise history: Jaguars WR Gabe Davis left the locker room on crutches with his left leg in a brace. Suffered a knee injury during the game against Lions.

Related players: Brian Thomas Jr., Christian Kirk, Parker Washington, Austin Trammell, Tim Jones, Elijah Cooks, Devin Duvernay

UPDATE: It's been reported Davis has a torn meniscus. It hasn't yet been determined if Davis will need a trim or a full repair, according to reports. Pro Football Talk reports Davis would be done for the season needing a full repair. However, with the Jags at 2-9 and coming off a horrible loss to the Lions, there is really no need to bring Davis back. It looks like Thomas will remain the team's top target at WR but with Kirk and Davis now potentially done for the year, Washington moves up the depth chart.