Sep 15, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s Vikings rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the November 23rd edition.
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the purple team, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Here’s the first batch of the week. All past rumors can be read here.
USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz dropped Darnold firmly into the Giants’ 2025 rumor mill this week and wrote: “His reward for a resurgent season with the Vikings is likely another trip to the open market and his fifth different team in six years. Though he has posted a career-best 100 passer rating, Darnold doesn’t seem to be any threat to hold on to the starting job past this season, with first-round pick J.J. McCarthy expected to take the reins after missing his entire rookie campaign due to a knee injury.”
The Giants released Daniel Jones on Friday.
“After a 5-0 start during which he earned NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for September, Darnold stumbled a bit and saw his turnover-happy play resurface with a combined five interceptions in wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts,” Middlehurst-Schwartz continued.
“That operating style might only be able to be mitigated rather than eradicated, leaving the Giants to weigh how much risk tolerance they have after enduring Jones’ giveaways. Still, he would surely unlock more in the deep passing attack with his aggressive approach.”
This theory makes sense, and Darnold could fire up back-to-back patchover quarterback assignments.
Bridgewater currently head coaches his high school alma mater, Miami Northwestern, a squad currently thriving under his tutelage. But per a Bridgewater tweet, he has the NFL itch. He wrote Tuesday, “So many QB jobs available for me after we make this state title run. I can’t wait to return back to the NFL 🙏🏾💯.”
The post caught Bridgewater fans off guard because most believed he was gone for good. He seems to love his new arrangement as the skipper of his high school team, but at the age of 32, a comeback is more than possible, especially if a prominent quarterback fell injured in the NFL sometime in the next seven weeks.
The Detroit Lions, for example, Bridgewater’s most recent NFL employer, could make sense if QB1 Jared Goff encountered an injury.
It’s worth noting that the New York Giants released Daniel Jones on Friday, so he’ll rocket up the list of emergency QB1s if an existing starter gets hurt. But don’t rule out Bridgewater at 32.
Jalen Nailor dropped a touchdown pass from Sam Darnold last weekend, which would’ve made Minnesota’s win over Tennessee a blowout.
He certainly has a chance at redemption in the next seven games, but generally speaking, Nailor has not performed to the level of a trustworthy WR3. K.J. Osborn’s numbers from 2021, 2022, and 2023 were actually better.
Nailor feels like a WR4 type, and yes, the Vikings could explore a different WR3 option next offseason.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.