There’s a New Sam Darnold Plot Twist
They may not trust him.
There’s a New Sam Darnold Plot Twist
That’s the latest and greatest theory about Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and potential teams seeking the passer’s services via free agency. According to The Athletic, Darnold’s poor performance in the 2024 season’s final two games spooked various general managers.
Jeff Howe wrote Tuesday, “Of course, teams will also explore the veteran market, but there are more temporary fixes than long-term solutions. Sam Darnold was viewed for a while as the best player available, to the point where it seemed to be a lock he’d get a contract worth north of $40 million annually, but his poor play over the Minnesota Vikings’ final two losses has scared teams. It’s unclear how his offseason will transpire at this point.”
Before the Howe tidbit, many NFL fans assumed a handful of teams would basically ignore Darnold’s two-game collapse, mainly because clubs like the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers are starved for a quarterback who can deliver 36 touchdowns in a season — as Darnold did in 2024. Of course, those same folks assumed Darnold’s value indeed dipped after the Week 18 and one-and-done playoff performance last month, but it didn’t quite rise to a “scared” attitude.
With his future up in the air, Darnold posted — what seemed like — a sentimental goodbye note on Instagram.
“Year 7… So grateful for my teammates, coaches, and the entire organization. We created memories and relationships that will last a lifetime and we got to do it in front of the best fanbase in the world #SKOL,” Darnold wrote a week and a half ago.
Meanwhile, the Vikings recently ended the Kirk Cousins era, a six-year period during which some fans routinely complained about paying a non-elite signal-caller … Top 10 quarterback money. Because of that ordeal, the team may not be eager to reinvest in a Cousins-caliber passer like Darnold.
And that means Minnesota could let Darnold test the free-agent market and hope one or two teams aren’t that scared of his final two games.
What’s more, Minnesota also has quarterback J.J. McCarthy ready to take the reins of QB1, lessening Darnold’s chances of a 2025 reunion. Darnold played on a one-year deal worth $10 million in 2024, a steal of a deal for fringe MVP production.
Free agency is five weeks away, and if the Vikings don’t franchise tag-and-trade Darnold, he and an NFL audience will learn just how “scared” general managers might be about his next contract. The proof will be in the pudding via dollars and cents.
Darnold will turn 28 this summer.
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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