Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold spoke about his future during the 2025 Pro Bowl Games. He admitted that he had given some thought to it.
He did not get into any specifics, though.
Part of that could be the uncertainty around his value at this time. Darnold, 27, was a Pro Bowler for the first time in 2024, setting career highs and rewriting the record books. But an 0-2 stretch in Week 18 and the NFC Wild Card Playoff have cast doubts.
Still, ESPN’s Dan Graziano predicts Darnold will see an “adjusted” iteration of the three-year, $100 million contract that Baker Mayfield received from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Prediction: Three years, $120 million, $75 million guaranteed,” Graziano wrote on January 31.
That deal would make Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million pact with the Vikings, the 15th-highest-paid QB. He might not get it from the Vikings though.
“The Vikings have talked about bringing Darnold back, even with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings to take over as the long-term starter at some point,” Graziano wrote.
“They could franchise-tag him (roughly $40 million) with the intent of keeping him or possibly trading him, but odds are the market is going to offer Darnold more than Minnesota can afford. The Raiders, Giants, Jets, Steelers, Browns, Titans and Saints are among the teams that either will or could find themselves looking for a new quarterback this offseason.”
Sam Darnold Predicted to Re-Sign With Former Team
Of all the teams Graziano listed, the Jets stand out. The Jets selected Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft. After four seasons, the Jets traded Darnold to the Carolina Panthers.
It has been five years since Darnold last took a snap wearing a Jets jersey.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin believes the new regime could be enough of a change that a reunion makes sense.
“New coach Aaron Glenn saw firsthand in Detroit that a first-round castoff can revive his career with the right support,” Benjamin wrote on January 28. “Darnold, despite a rough first go with New York, could get a decent check here if Gang Green is unable to leap up from No. 7 overall in the draft for an even younger Aaron Rodgers replacement.”
However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the transition tag could be in order for Darnold and the Vikings. That would give the Vikings seven days to exercise the right of first refusal on any contract Darnold might agree to in free agency.
Fowler also reports agents have pushed for Darnold to command a contract like Daniel Jones.
“The Vikings have not yet made a firm determination on Sam Darnold’s future with the team. His strong play this season has caused them to pause and take a hard look at their options. Bringing him back feels like a stronger possibility than it was five or six months ago,” Fowler wrote on February 1.
“The Vikings will have a cap on spending here. Some agents have argued that Darnold shouldn’t take a penny less than Daniel Jones’ four-year, $160 million deal with the Giants from two years ago. Teams have suggested Darnold getting something more in line with Baker Mayfield’s contract (three years, $100 million). In the end, perhaps the transition tag ($35.3 million) makes the most sense.”
Insider: Vikings Planned Around Sam Darnold’s Exit
The Vikings can have a spending cap on Darnold – like they did with Kirk Cousins last offseason – because they have a cheaper alternative. Last offseason, it was Darnold.
This time, it is 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who the Vikings traded up to select No. 10 overall.
It is McCarthy that gave the Vikings confidence in extending Justin Jefferson, Graziano said.
“The Vikings can pay receiver Justin Jefferson $35 million per year in part because it’s anticipating operating on McCarthy’s rookie deal,” Graziano wrote. “In the end, they probably end up letting Darnold hit the market, where he should be able to command a deal in line with the three-year, $100 million deal that Baker Mayfield got from the Buccaneers a year ago — though it would be adjusted upward based on inflation and market demand.”
The Vikings still have McCarthy, and they could re-sign Jones to compete with him in training camp next season.
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