The Minnesota Vikings had a historic regular season. It ended disappointingly in the NFC Wild Card against the Los Angeles Rams. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold struggled for the second straight week.
He completed 62.4% of his passes for 245 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. But he also took an NFL playoff-record 9 sacks.
The performance put his future into further question, but there is a silver lining.
“Few thoughts on Sam Darnold,” Fowler posted on X on January 14. “He’s still the top free agent QB, last two games don’t help, but teams I’ve spoken recently had forecasted him in Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield weight class of contracts, thus, $50M per year was never on the line.”
The Rams set multiple franchise and league records during the contest.
Darnold is on a one-year, $10 million contract. Projections for his next contract have ranged from $100 million to nearly $200 million with a Pro Bowl campaign now on his resume.
Sam Darnold’s Vikings Future in Question
Darnold undoubtedly cost himself some money with his showings in two high-leverage games to end the season.
But his future in Minnesota remains a question.
“Darnold appeared to have resurrected his career after signing a one-year contract with the Vikings and leading them to 14 wins, while throwing for career highs of 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. Following the Vikings’ Week 17 victory over the visiting Green Bay Packers, teammates hoisted him on their shoulders in a symbolic celebration of his campaign,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote on January 14.
“Since that moment, however, Darnold regressed to some of the levels that cost him his jobs with the New York Jets in 2020 and the Carolina Panthers in 2022. In losses over the past eight days to the Rams and the Detroit Lions, he threw a combined 23 off-target throws, according to ESPN Research, and took a total of 11 sacks — including nine Monday night.”
“Where he once seemed on track for the Vikings to re-sign him or at least use their franchise tag to retain him for 2025, Darnold now heads toward free agency with his future as unsettled as ever,” Seifert wrote.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke candidly about Darnold’s shortcomings. He also mentioned the good the QB did during the regular season.
O’Connell did not necessarily tip his hand on which way the Vikings would go at QB, though.
Uncertainty Around J.J. McCarthy Could Benefit Sam Darnold
“When the lights got the brightest, Sam Darnold reverted to his ghost-seeing ways,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on January 14. “That makes it a lot easier to allow Darnold to become a free agent and to move forward with 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy.”
McCarthy missed the entire season with a torn meniscus that required two surgeries.
He has spoken optimistically about his progress in recovery. But he has not been in pads on a football field since the preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
A few teams that need quarterbacks will miss out on the top prospects in the draft. Some of Darnold’s potential suitors may have had a change of heart. Plenty more remain, and an injury could create even more opportunities for the journeyman quarterback.
The Vikings also have Daniel Jones, who remains an X factor in the equation.
