Vikings Offseason Could Heat Up in 5 Short Days
The Minnesota Vikings have already completed two sizable tasks this offseason: extending head coach Kevin O’Connell’s contract for the long haul and welcoming back defensive coordinator Brian Flores after the coach failed to earn a head coach promotion around the league.
Vikings Offseason Could Heat Up in 5 Short Days
The franchise has several other to-do items this offseason, including finding two starting cornerbacks, improving the offensive and defensive trenches, and replacing Harrison Smith if the veteran safety retires.
And, of course, Minnesota must decide on a quarterback plan, as Sam Darnold is scheduled to test free agency in less than four weeks. The Vikings have J.J. McCarthy ready to take the title of QB1, although no one is absolutely sure if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will “let ‘er rip” with McCarthy or re-sign Darnold for complete security.
Well, regarding Darnold, the offseason could heat up in five days. That’s when the franchise tag window opens — February 18th.
February 18th is when the “franchise tag window opens: NFL teams can begin applying the franchise or transition tag — fixed one-year contract offers — to players with expiring contracts,” and the deadline of March 4th “at 4 p.m. ET, teams are no longer permitted to apply the franchise or transition tag to eligible players. Players who’ve been tagged, however, do not yet have to sign their contract.”
In theory, the Vikings could explore a franchise tag-and-trade with Darnold, hoping to nab a draft pick for his services while limiting his personal options and say in the matter. Or the Vikings can let Darnold leave in free agency and roll with McCarthy for the future.
Before Darnold melted down in the season’s final two games last year, some believed the Vikings would indeed franchise tag-and-trade him, perhaps netting a fancy 2nd-Round pick or something in the vicinity. His late-season faceplant did not improve the trade theories, and it might be a foregone conclusion that Darnold walks.
Still, if the franchise tag-and-trade is in play, the application could arrive as early as five days from now.
Per a recent quote from head coach Kevin O’Connell, the young skipper might’ve already predicted the future: letting Darnold venture to free agency with no extension or franchise tag-and-trade.
“Look, you guys know how I feel about Sam. He is a guy that we identified last year as somebody who could come in and be successful. And really no matter where he was at before he arrived in his quarterback journey, it was about maximizing our time together,” O’Connell said about Darnold last week.
“And I think we did that, and I think it was a very special year for Sam. And what that earned him is, everybody in our league now thinks he’s a bona fide legitimate starting quarterback and can win a lot of football games. He won 14 of them.”
It’s probably more likely that Darnold merely departs the organization to free agency, but if the NFL masses have it wrong, the tag-and-trade theories will start to take shape next week.
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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