Vikings Have a “Top Domino” This Offseason
NFL free agency gets underway in four weeks, and at that time or slightly before, Minnesota Vikings fans will learn Sam Darnold’s 2025 fate.
Vikings Have a “Top Domino” This Offseason
Darnold delivered 36 total touchdowns and 4,319 passing yards in 2024 en route to a fabulous 14-3 record after rookie passer J.J. McCarthy exited stage left in August with a torn meniscus.
On the season’s grandest stage, though, Darnold personally collapsed — twice — making the case for a sequel in the Twin Cities all the more dicey. And that’s probably why Bleacher Report called Darnold’s free-agent status one of the NFL’s top dominoes this offseason.
BR’s Kristopher Knox sized up all NFL dominoes that will fall in the coming weeks, and Darnold’s future with the Vikings made the cut.
“Minnesota’s decision on quarterback Sam Darnold could have a significant ripple effect on the quarterback market. While Darnold may not be an elite signal-caller, he was a Pro Bowler in 2024 and won’t turn 28 until June,” Knox wrote. “Under other conditions, the Vikings would probably be quick to offer Darnold an extension or give him the franchise tag — the deadline to do so is March 4. However, Minnesota used a 2024 first-round selection on Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.”
Sportsbooks, rather overwhelmingly, believe McCarthy, not Darnold, will start Week 1 for Minnesota.
Knox continued, “McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, so the Vikings haven’t gotten an extended look at the former Wolverine. They must soon decide whether they’re ready to hand over the offense to a player who has never seen a regular-season star or whether they’d prefer to keep Darnold as a veteran bridge. Most likely, Minnesota will choose to tag Darnold or allow him to hit the market, and things could go either way.”
The Vikings signed quarterback Daniel Jones late last season, and he could be in line for a QB2 job in 2025 if Darnold vamooses.
“If Darnold does reach free agency, he’ll be the top quarterback available. He may also be viewed as a superior alternative to the 2025 draft class, which lacks depth at the position. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are the only QB prospects who have received a first-round grade from the Bleacher Report Scouting Department,” Knox concluded.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell commented on his team’s quarterback plans last weekend, a hot topic among purple fans. “We drafted him 10th overall for a reason,” O’Connell told CBS Sports on Saturday about McCarthy, his 22-year-old passer.
O’Connell added, “I believe Sam has played himself into being kind of the marquee free-agent quarterback available. I do believe that his teammates and coaches and, our front office, and myself would love to have Sam back in Minnesota. But at the same time we do feel very confident in J.J. McCarthy. He’s healthy.”
While Darnold’s future is indeed a significant domino, he is likely to hit free agency if Minnesota does not franchise tag-and-trade him.
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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