2 Vikings Defenders Make a Darnold Extension Complicated
In 2018, the Minnesota Vikings had to make a decision: Do they want to keep 2017 standout QB Case Keenum or upgrade in free agency by signing Kirk Cousins?
General manager Rick Spielman chose the latter. Keenum got a sweet deal from the Broncos, and Cousins was actually not that much more expensive, especially considering his usual 30 touchdowns compared to Keenum’s following years in which he couldn’t come close to his Vikings numbers.
2 Vikings Defenders Make a Darnold Extension Complicated
Almost seven years later, the franchise is in a comparable situation. Starting passer Sam Darnold has been outstanding for the club, tabulating 36 touchdowns in only 16 games, all while leading the operation to a 14-2 record.
His one-year contract is paying him $10 million, and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March. The initial plan was to let rookie J.J. McCarthy take over at some point, but Darnold’s performances (and McCarthy’s injury) have changed some people’s minds.
Suddenly, the more popular opinion seems to be keeping Darnold in the building. And there is a similarity to 2018. Keeping Darnold would require a deal that includes an annual salary north of $40 million.
Considering modern QB contracts of average-performing quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence and Tua Tagovailoa surpass $50 million per season, it’s fair to wonder if Darnold isn’t slowly but surely playing himself into that range.
The Vikings will have a ton of salary cap to spend in the upcoming offseason, so paying Darnold is possible. However, other areas of the roster would bleed. With half the roster entering free agency after the season unless there’s a wave of extensions, that cap space will quickly dwindle once general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah reloads his roster to 90 players ‒ even if he’s only signing cheap players.
The Vikings could also lose some expensive contributors, though. Defenders Cam Bynum and Byron Murphy enter their final months of Vikings’ employment.
Bynum is a 2021 fourth-round draft pick who moved from college cornerback to safety in the NFL. After one year of backup duties, he entered the starting lineup in Ed Donatell’s 2022 defense with underwhelming results. With Brian Flores’ arrival, however, he climbed the safety ranks, becoming one of the league’s better players at his position.
Pro Bowl-caliber players at safety can command an annual salary in the $15-$20 million range. But not only is his play essential, but so is his leadership in the locker room. His celebrations are also legendary, and losing him would hurt the entire team’s positivity. The whole package is worth prioritizing in the offseason.
And then there’s fellow secondary standout Murphy. The cornerback arrived in the Twin Cities in 2023, taking over the CB1 spot. Although his play was up-and-down in his purple debut season, his absence in the final few games of the campaign was a main reason for the defense’s implosion and showed his worth.
This year, meanwhile, Murphy has caught six interceptions and has taken another step in his development. That helps the team win but will also cost the front office a significant paycheck in the offseason if they want to keep him. Capable cornerbacks are vital but hard to find in today’s pass-heavy league. He will have leverage and could also ask for a raise.
Keeping both would likely cost something in the range of $30-$40 million per year. That, combined with filling numerous other roster spots, and suddenly, there’s no money for Darnold or other reinforcements remaining. This year’s Andrew Van Ginkel or Blake Cashman can’t join.
The Vikings could borrow money from the future, but do they really want to go that route again right after getting rid of Cousins’ dead cap hit?
At the end of the day, the holy trinity of paying a quarterback, keeping their own free agents, and hiring new players can’t be achieved in the long run. The front office around Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needs to decide if Darnold is worth that kind of investment ‒ an investment he has definitely earned ‒ or if McCarthy is the better long-term option to build a superior roster.
That decision will be made in February and March. Until then, Darnold has at least two more games to make his case.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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