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Quarterback Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold‘s prospects in free agency are more questionable after his struggles in the final two games of the 2024 season.

However, a new head coach hire could boost his chances of finding a new team.

Multiple reports confirmed the Las Vegas Raiders are hiring Pete Carroll as their new head coach on January 24, opening a door for Darnold to land in Las Vegas.

Vikings’ Sam Darnold and Raiders’ Pete Carroll Linked With Ties From USC

GettyPete Carroll

Carroll coached at USC from 2001 to 2009, while Darnold played quarterback for the Trojans from 2015 to 2017. Carroll watched closely during those years and is an avid fan of Darnold, who was selected third overall in the 2018 draft.

“I think he’s really talented, without question,” Carroll said in 2020. “He’s got great throws in him. He’s a real quarterback. He sees things. He makes big plays and big throws in difficult situations because of his talent. It’s just a matter of time. Sam’s going to be a really big-time QB. He’s thrown a lot of balls in three years. He’s had a lot of experience. It will pay off in the long run.”

While the two haven’t met, Carroll’s Trojans, winners of four Rose Bowls and a national championship during his tenure, were a big reason Darnold, a San Clemente, California, native, became obsessed with football.

There are reasons to believe the Raiders would consider acquiring Darnold by trade or in free agency.

“If Carroll is the head coach, he may be more inclined to try and build a quick winner instead of undergoing a total rebuild,” Heavy.com’s Austin Boyd wrote. “He would be the oldest head coach in NFL history if he takes the Raiders job and it’s hard to imagine he wants to take three years to build up the team.”

NFL executives feel the same.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that several league personnel believe Las Vegas is out of striking distance to draft a quarterback in the first round and could opt to sign Darnold as the top free-agent quarterback on the market.

“At Pick 6, [the Raiders] are out of range for a quarterback unless they move up, which wouldn’t be smart based on the amount of holes they have,” a high-ranking personnel man told Fowler. “They need every pick. They have flexibility within the cap to get it done.

“Las Vegas is slated to have nearly $100 million in 2025 cap space, more than enough to pay a veteran passer,” Fowler wrote. Most execs polled believe Darnold belongs in the Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield class of contracts, somewhere in the range of three years and $100 million.

Vikings Weigh Future With Darnold, J.J. McCarthy

GettyJ.J. McCarthy #9 and Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings participate in a drill during training camp.

The expectation when Minnesota signed Darnold was that he would stay for a cup and coffee and move on to his next team. The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall as the quarterback of the future.

McCarthy was on his way there, earning the title of “franchise quarterback” from Kevin O’Connell even after he underwent season-ending meniscus surgery.

But since then, Darnold has played himself into a seat at the negotiating table with the Vikings.

Minnesota is unlikely to trade McCarthy, but the 22-year-old quarterback could use more runway before becoming the starter as he just returned to physical workouts with the team.

That could mean the Vikings would be comfortable offering a two-year deal to Darnold with the potential of trading him next offseason. They could also franchise tag and trade him or let him walk in free agency.

The paths ahead at quarterback have many permutations that need to be explored before free agency begins in March.