Vikings Top Offseason Domino Officially Falls
Sam Darnold will not be franchise tagged-and-traded.
Vikings Offseason Domino Officially Falls
That is now impossible.
The Minnesota Vikings declined to apply the tag on Darnold and will allow the 27-year-old to hit free agency or sign him to a contract agreed upon by all parties. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “Vikings officially will not be tagging QB Sam Darnold, per sources.”
And that’s a wrap on all Darnold-themed trade theories this offseason. Trade scenarios ran rampant over the last month as some inflated Darnold’s value to its peak and hoped a quarterback-needy would trade a premium draft pick for his services.
But the argument against a Darnold trade remains in place — he’ll factor into the Vikings’ 2026 compensatory draft pick reimbursement formula if he joins a new team next week, as many onlookers expect.
Meanwhile, the Vikings have J.J. McCarthy ready to take the franchise’s reins, a 1st-Round draft selection last April who tore his meniscus in his first-ever preseason game. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season, paving the way for Darnold to thrive in Minneapolis to the tune of a 14-3 team record, 36 total touchdowns, 4,319 passing yards, and 12 interceptions.
It’s worth noting that Minnesota would evidently like to retain Darnold in 2025, though his earning power may far exceed the Vikings’ top-shelf number.
The Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tennessee Titans are considered legitimate landing spots for Darnold if he hits the open market. Minnesota could re-sign veteran signal-caller Daniel Jones next week for the “Darnold role” in 2025 — an experienced insurance policy to pair with McCarthy.
Only two players received the franchise tag in 2025: Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith and Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, coincidentally the league’s top two free agents, with Darnold arguably in the same tier, at least per his position in this free-agent market.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling provided context Monday about Darnold’s situation: “Sources said at the combine last week they didn’t expect a Darnold tag, pointing out it would effectively function like a no-trade clause. Now, it’s either a new deal in Minnesota or another team next week.”
Darnold’s tag-less offseason can be interpreted as the most significant roster domino to fall into place, mainly because so many fans hoped he’d be traded. Instead, he’ll hit the open market on Monday or be back in purple
Darnold will turn 28 in June.
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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