For a while there, it appeared that Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold had done enough to secure a long-term place in Minnesota with coach Kevin O’Connell. Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record this year, throwing for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, plus a quarterback rating of 102.5.
For the first time since he was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2018, Darnold looked like he had the makings of a top-tier NFL starter. If not elite, then certainly close.
But his last two games in a Vikings uniform were a disaster, first a 31-9 defeat to the shorthanded Lions that cost Minnesota the NFC North crown–and a much better playoff seeding–followed by a 27-9 drubbing at the hands of the Rams to cut short Minnesota’s playoff run.
Now, the Vikings must decide what to do with Darnold, who can be a free agent when the league year opens next week. The team is also sitting on rehabbing QB JJ McCarthy, who was the Vikings’ first-round pick last year and expected to be the eventual starter. McCarthy tore his ACL in the offseason and did not play at all in 2024.
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The Vikings could let Darnold walk in free agency. Or they could sign him to a longer deal. There is a middle path, too–a franchise tag that would essentially keep McCarthy in place for one more year at more than $40 million for 2025.
That’s a high outlay, of course, but a low-risk move because of the short term of the deal. The Vikings would need to tag Darnold by 4 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 4.
And it is not happening, according to ESPN insider Dan Graziano.
“Vikings have Sam Darnold, and it would cost them about $40 million to tag him,” Graziano said on “Get Up.” “As of now, it doesn’t sound like they will, which means Sam Darnold will hit the free-agent market next week. Vikings as we know have JJ McCarthy, who was their first-round draft pick last year, and they feel like he will be ready to go soon. In terms of Darnold, they’d like to have him back.
“But I think there is a number they really wouldn’t go past to bring him back and $40 million is beyond that number. So it looks like, barring something unforeseen here in the next seven hours, Sam Darnold will be a free agent.”
