Getty
Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after beating the Seattle Seahawks.
The Minnesota Vikings plan to let Sam Darnold play the market this offseason in free agency, a decision that is widely expected to result in him signing with a new team.
That team could be the Las Vegas Raiders.
“The Vikings like Darnold and his live arm, but they like their 2024 first-round investment, J.J. McCarthy, just as much. And the bargain-bin route worked out just fine for them after they let Kirk Cousins walk. Darnold, meanwhile, might prefer to cash in for a top gig while he can,” CBS Sports Cody Benjamin wrote on February 20. “Prediction: Signs three-year, $114 million deal with Las Vegas Raiders.”
Russell Wilson or Justin Fields? 🤔
Sam Darnold to Las Vegas? 👀
Rodgers to run it back in New York? ✈️
@AdamSchefter lays out some off-season storylines to look out for.
The Raiders hired Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll, who has ties to Darnold’s alma mater, USC. Legendary NFL QB Tom Brady is also a minority owner in the Raiders and has tremendous influence.
Over The Cap projects the Raiders will have the second-most space to worth with this offseason at $99.5 million.
The Vikings, meanwhile, rank seventh with $63.3 million.
Sam Darnold’s Rough Ending Could Reinforce Vikings’ Stance
GettySam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after a loss to the Los Angeles Rams during the NFC Wild Card Playoff.
Darnold completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions during the regular season, earning his first career Pro Bowl. His 14 wins are the most by a quarterback in Year 1 with a new team in NFL history.
However, his performance over the final two weeks of the campaign.
That includes the Vikings’ NFC Wild Card Playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams – added to the doubts created throughout his career.
“The former No. 3 overall pick has certainly restored his image since a tumultuous five-year start with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, parlaying a year of tutelage with the San Francisco 49ers into a full-blown breakout with the Vikings,” Benjamin wrote. “His poised and aggressive 35-touchdown showcase under Kevin O’Connell ultimately ended with a whimper, however, as he folded under pressure in Minnesota’s last — and most important — two games.”
JARED VERSE SCOOP AND SCORE!
📺: #MINvsLAR on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+
Darnold completed 53.1% of his throws for a 411-1-1 line combined in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions and in the playoffs versus the Rams. He also had two games with more than 1interception all season.
Darnold fumbled 8 times, losing 4, and, per Pro Football Focus, he posted the eighth-highest sack rate among QBs with double-digit starts in 2024.
Faith in J.J. McCarthy Bad News for Sam Darnold
GettyJ.J. McCarthy #9 and Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings look on during mandatory minicamp.
Despite Darnold’s shortcomings, his larger body of work during the season might otherwise afford him stability were it not for McCarthy. The Vikings traded up to No. 10 to select McCarthy in the 2024 draft.
McCarthy missed his rookie season with a torn meniscus suffered during the preseason opener against the Raiders. He has also lost a significant amount of weight during his recovery.
But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Vikings remain convinced McCarhty is their future QB1.
“I’m told that the Minnesota Vikings are open to doing a deal with Sam Darnold. People I’ve talked to around the league believe that the franchise tag is not the likeliest path that Minnesota would take. That’s a high number of around $40 million. So Minnesota’s stance seems to be that they’re not going to mortgage the future for Sam Donald. If he’s getting major bank with another team somewhere else, they probably won’t mortgage their future in that regard. But they’re certainly open to having them back,” Fowler said on “Sports Center” on February 21.
“What was made clear to me, though, is J.J. McCarthy is the franchise quarterback at some point. Whether that’s six months from now – 12 months, 18 months – they have not made that firm determination yet. But he will be the guy. So whoever steps in this year is essentially a bridge quarterback. Daniel Jones could make some sense. I’m told that he’s still on the table as an option. He was in the building last year. He would be a cheaper alternative to Sam Darnold.”
