Day by day, it seems more likely that quarterback Sam Darnold will depart the Minnesota Vikings via free agency.
There’s a Frontrunner to Sign Sam Darnold in Free Agency
“We drafted him 10th overall for a reason,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told CBS Sports on Saturday about J.J. McCarthy, the man on deck to lead the franchise.
O’Connell added, “I believe Sam [Darnold] has played himself into being kind of the marquee free-agent quarterback available. I do believe that his teammates and coaches, 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.”
Those comments about Darnold sound like a man heading toward the open market. And if that materializes, there’s a frontrunner squad to land his services: the Las Vegas Raiders.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on NFL Live over the weekend: “One team that I would watch with Sam Darnold moving forward would be the Las Vegas Raiders. I think at some point in time, they’re likely to have some interest in trying to bring Sam Darnold to Las Vegas. We’ll see if they can make that happen.”
Schefter doesn’t typically shoot from the hip with free agency theories, meaning he likely has intel to suggest Darnold to Las Vegas.
Minnesota employed Darnold in 2024 after McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason. McCarthy played wonderfully that August afternoon, slicing and dicing the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense in an exhibition bout, and a few days later, he hit the shelf of the season. Darnold later won 14 games with the Vikings before flaming out in Week 18 and the postseason’s Wildcard Round.
Meanwhile, Darnold chatted with SiriusXM Radio last week and seemed like a player who will test free agency. “I’ve put a little bit of thought into it. I’m not going to share anything about, kind of, what I’ve been thinking or, obviously, the conversations I’ve had behind closed doors,” Darnold said.
“There’s obviously, a lot that’s going to happen still, even after the Super Bowl. So, I’m just going to continue to talk to my agent and figure things out from there.”
The Raiders have been the frontrunner to sign Darnold for about a month because its sixth draft choice in Round 1 isn’t ideal for a quarterback in this class, and their other passers, Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, don’t inspire much confidence.
Put simply, the Raiders need somebody to play quarterback, and new head coach Pete Carroll might be able to replicate Darnold’s 16-game success in Minnesota.
Other possible suitors for Darnold? The New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and Seattle Seahawks.
Darnold will turn 28 in June.
Spicy Vikings Rumor Picks up Steam
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.
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