Sam Darnold Trade Rumors Reverse — Again.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is tentatively scheduled to test free agency in one week, and after a weekend of rather curious reporting, he appears ready to do precisely that.
Sam Darnold Trade Rumors Reverse — Again.
Sportskeeda‘s Tony Pauline first reported Saturday at the NFL Combine that Darnold would likely be franchise tagged-and-traded before the deadline on Tuesday, March 4th. One day later, Pauline reversed the narrative.
“During my Saturday notes article from the combine, I mentioned reports elsewhere stated the Vikings could pull a tag and trade on Sam Darnold. This morning, a source told me emphatically that they won’t tag the quarterback, and Darnold will hit the free agent market,” Pauline explained.
Darnold produced a wonderful season in 2024 before the final two games — the most important ones — with 36 total touchdowns and 4,319 passing yards.
Pauline added, “So where does Darnold end up? Besides the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants, the likely suspects, people think the Colts will be in the market for the third pick of the 2018 draft. I mentioned several days ago that Indianapolis will look to add a veteran quarterback to the roster, not just a backup but someone who could come in and start if Anthony Richardson falters. Darnold fits the bill.”
So, no big deal, right? Well, one day prior, Pauline stated the opposite, igniting the Vikings’ fan base with theories that the purple team would receive a sweet draft pick in a Darnold trade.
“After losing out on Matthew Stafford, what will the Las Vegas Raiders do next? There are still persistent rumors they may try to trade up for a quarterback in the draft. People close to Sam Darnold tell me that Raiders coach Pete Carroll will work to make a move to acquire the quarterback from the Vikings,” Pauline wrote before the reversal.
A tag-and-trade would amuse Vikings fans, mainly because this draft is pretty damn deep per talent, and Minnesota has just four picks heading into the event — a 1st-Rounder, a soon-to-be compensatory 3rd-Rounder for Kirk Cousins’ departure last year, and two 5th-Rounders. Idealists have preserved hope all offseason that Minnesota could tag-and-trade Darnold, dusting aside Darnold’s two-game collapse that ended the Vikings’ 14-3 season.
In all likelihood, Minnesota will allow Darnold to hit free agency while preparing 22-year-old passer J.J. McCarthy for the QB1 job this offseason.
When Darnold arrives on the open market, teams like the Raiders, mentioned by Pauline, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans could poke around his asking price.
Minnesota must franchise-tag Darnold by Tuesday if it wishes to trade him — or not trade him at all.
If the Vikings tagged Darnold and then could not find a trade partner, they’d be “stuck” with him, wiping about two-thirds of their 2025 cap space.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.