The Frontrunner for Sam Darnold … May Not Be the Frontrunner After All.
For about a month, the Las Vegas Raiders have represented the frontrunner in acquiring Sam Darnold’s services either via franchise tag-and-trade or outright free agency.
The Frontrunner for Sam Darnold … May Not Be the Frontrunner After All.
But that theory might be wrong, according to The Athletic.
Darnold delivered a magnificent season in Minnesota last year — well, 16 good games, anyway — with 4,319 passing yards, 36 total touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a team record of 14-3. The Vikings lost early in the postseason, and Darnold stunk during the event, but he should have a decent free-agent market regardless.
It’s just that NFL-themed media might’ve overblown the Raiders angle.
“Tom Brady — who bumped into Matthew Stafford in Montana and went skiing with him recently — and general manager John Spytek prioritized Stafford because they are not super high on Sam Darnold or the other potential free agents,” Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed wrote late last week about the Raiders’ pursuit of Stafford.
“There are members of the Raiders’ offensive coaching staff who prefer adding a proven veteran quarterback to taking a dice roll on a rookie quarterback, according to league sources. The 2025 draft class isn’t perceived to be deep at quarterback, and there’s a chance that the only options worth drafting in the first round will be gone by the time the Raiders are on the clock.”
Las Vegas was apparently intrigued by Stafford’s perceived availability, so many believed, “Well, they can just sign Sam Darnold since Stafford returned to Los Angeles.”
It’s just that Darnold and Stafford are markedly different quarterbacks — one, Stafford, has a sterling reputation while the other, Darnold, had a sweet batch of 16 games last season for the first time in his career.
Tafur and Reed added about the Raiders’ quarterback plan: “The Raiders want to win now while they build up the roster, and they thought Stafford uniquely gave them that push. Now, they have to explore alternative options.”
Las Vegas has dominated the Darnold rumor mill for two reasons:
- The Raiders need a quarterback, and the draft’s sixth overall pick isn’t a glorious spot to draft Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Therefore, a free-agent passer like Darnold could check some boxes.
- The new head coach in Las Vegas, Pete Carroll, coached USC for nine seasons, and that’s Darnold’s alma mater.
If Tafur and Reed have it right that the Raiders won’t spend megabucks on Darnold, it would shrink Darnold’s list of landing spots to the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tennessee Titans (among maybe a surprise team or two), at least in theory.
NFL free agency is just one week away, and onlookers should learn Darnold’s next employer then.
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 Vikings 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.
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