{"id":20026,"date":"2024-12-01T16:00:48","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T16:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=20026"},"modified":"2024-12-01T16:00:48","modified_gmt":"2024-12-01T16:00:48","slug":"vikings-qb-sam-darnold-expected-to-have-competitive-market-unlikely-to-return-to-minnesota","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=20026","title":{"rendered":"Vikings QB Sam Darnold Expected To Have Competitive Market, Unlikely To Return To Minnesota"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sam Darnold<\/a><\/b> signed a one-year, $10MM contract<\/a> with the Vikings this offseason with the understanding that he would operate as a bridge to a rookie quarterback should Minnesota select one early in the draft. After the Vikes drafted J.J. McCarthy<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>with the No. 10 overall pick, it was believed that Darnold\u2019s time atop the depth chart would be limited. However, the season-ending knee injury<\/a> that McCarthy suffered in August, coupled with Darnold\u2019s strong performance, have the veteran passer positioned to be one of the hottest commodities on the 2025 free agent market.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thanks to Darnold\u2019s surprisingly hot start to the current season, our Adam La Rose examined his rising free agent stock<\/a> in detail on October 5. Not unlike the infamous Madden curse, the Pro Football Rumors curse bit Darnold just one day later, as the USC alum produced a poor 50.3 quarterback rating in a Week 5 victory over the Giants. Luckily for the Vikings, Darnold bounced back in a big way, posting QB ratings of at least 107.0 in five of the club\u2019s next six contests.<\/span><\/p>\n

Minnesota sits at 9-2 on the season and is only in second place in its division because of the Lions\u2019 stunning 11-1 record. Although Darnold\u2019s 21:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio is not ideal, three of those picks came in one game, and his 101.7 quarterback rating is the eighth-best mark in the league. As of the time of this writing, his 21 passing TDs are the fifth-highest total, and he is 10th in passing yards (2,717). In general, it looks as if he is finally living up to his billing at the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now 27, Darnold\u2019s resurgent effort and the Vikings\u2019 success with him at the controls have made him perhaps the most desirable quarterback slated for free agency in March. ESPN\u2019s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler believe that Darnold is pricing himself out of Minnesota, and the team is comfortable with that reality (subscription required<\/a>). Although a scenario in which McCarthy\u2019s recovery takes longer than expected could tempt the Vikes to bring Darnold back, McCarthy is obviously expected to take the reins at some point, and Darnold\u2019s price tag is likely to far exceed what the club is willing to pay given its investment and belief in McCarthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dianna Russini of The Athletic also hears that Darnold\u2019s market is going to be a competitive one (subscription required<\/a>), and the relative weakness<\/a> of the 2025 draft class of QBs will presumably boost his earning power even more. Of course, all of this presupposes that Darnold does not regress and that he finishes the year healthy, but Fowler anticipates the former Jet, Panther, and 49er will be in line for a middle class contract like those authorized for <\/span>Baker Mayfield<\/a><\/b> and <\/span>Geno Smith<\/a><\/b> in recent history.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, a multiyear pact worth between $25MM \u2013 $35MM per year featuring $40MM \u2013 $50MM in guarantees could be a starting point in negotiations between Darnold\u2019s camp and QB-needy clubs. Assuming that the Vikings don\u2019t want to play in those waters, the team could look to re-sign the newly-acquired<\/a> Daniel Jones<\/a><\/strong> to accompany McCarthy on the depth chart (though Russini is clear that the Jones addition does not impact Darnold\u2019s future in Minnesota).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n