7 Possible Destinations for Sam Darnold in 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold signed a one-year deal with the purple team 51 weeks ago, while general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy six weeks later.
7 Possible Destinations for Sam Darnold in 2025
Darnold played magically in Minnesota for about four months before teetering off when it mattered the most.
Accordingly, Darnold could return to the Vikings, test free agency, or be traded via the franchise tag in the coming days or weeks.
If Darnold does not return to the Vikings, these are the seven most likely landing spots for Darnold next season, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most likely destination)
7. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts will likely stay committed to Anthony Richardson — they should — and the current QB2, Joe Flacco, is old.
Indianapolis could sign Darnold to a deal in the ballpark of two years and $70 million and let Richardson watch and develop in 2025.
This destination isn’t all that likely, but it cannot be entirely excluded from the list. It all depends on the Colts’ front office’s offseason opinion of Richardson. The Colts could also sign someone like Aaron Rodgers.
6. Seattle Seahawks
Not long ago, the Seahawks signed Geno Smith as their quasi-long-term QB1 solution. They have the pedigree to do it again with Darnold, who’d represent an improvement over Smith if he carries his newfound skill set from Minnesota to Seattle.
Smith has no more guaranteed money left on his contract. The 2025 offseason feels like a natural divorce point if the Seahawks miss the postseason, at least outwardly.
Darnold could cook with DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker III, and Zach Charbonnet.
A couple of weeks ago, however, Seattle’s brass smoke fondly of Smith, weakening the chance of a Darnold free-agent signing.
5. New York Jets
The Jets must be included in this list because they have no starting quarterback on the docket for 2025 after announcing that Aaron Rodgers would leave this offseason.
And New York’s seventh overall pick is not ideal for finding a rookie quarterback unless that franchise wants to severely reach for Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe.
Therefore, a QB1 must come from somewhere, and Darnold is the top free-agent example on the market.
4. Tennessee Titans
Will Levis still has plenty of time to develop into a startable NFL quarterback, but will the Titans have the patience?
Tennessee may seek a high-end backup in 2025 or cut bait with Levis altogether. That would make Darnold a solution from two angles — insurance for Levis or a bridge quarterback to a passer drafted in April.
On the whole, the Titans probably won’t complicate anything and will select Miami’s Cam Ward as the first pick in April’s draft.
3. New York Giants
The Giants released Daniel Jones in November, a stunning development considering he was the QB1 solution after defeating Minnesota in the playoff less than two years ago. He ended up with the Vikings. What a world.
Like Minnesota this year, New York will likely invest high-round draft capital in a quarterback and then desire a veteran to show that man the ropes.
Darnold would be a wise fit, and he’d basically do for the Giants in 2025 what he did for the Vikings in 2024.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh must decide between Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, or someone else this offseason at QB1.
Darnold as a Steeler makes sense because he’s probably better than Wilson at this juncture of their careers, and he’s more consistent than Fields.
Quarterbacks who threw 35 touchdown passes don’t hit the market too often, so this is the Steelers’ chance.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
A “bridge quarterback” option, Las Vegas could ink Darnold in eight days to patch him over to a rookie that the Raiders draft in April.
Pete Carroll is the new skipper in Vegas, and Darnold seems like the kind of guy that Carroll could utilize for untapped potential.
From a national viewpoint, the Raiders are the frontrunner to land Darnold on the open market or via trade.
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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