The Minnesota Vikings have what general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would call a “champagne problem” with Sam Darnold following a statement victory over Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons.
Darnold figures to be the top free-agent quarterback available in the offseason and could strike a massive multi-year contract. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Darnold would move on as a starter elsewhere, and the Vikings would pivot to J.J. McCarthy and sign another stopgap veteran to fill the Darnold role (as Daniel Jones is currently auditioning for).
However, after throwing for 347 yards and five touchdowns, Darnold, the first Vikings quarterback to complete that feat in a game in 20 years, is proving he may be too good to part ways with.
That may seem like a good problem for the 11-2 Vikings, however, they can make a move that Darnold would not be fond of — franchise-tagging him for the 2025 season.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer appraised the potential paths the Vikings could venture down with Darnold’s price skyrocketing. One executive suggested the franchise tag that would keep Darnold under team control for one more year.
“To work to ascertain that, I asked a few execs Sunday night where they saw Darnold’s market. One guessed he’d command a three-year, $110 million contract, with more than $40 million guaranteed. Another said he thought the Vikings should consider franchise tagging him, even though the price on that projects to top $41 million, and that he’d probably get $40 million per year if he hit the open market,” Breer wrote in a December 8 column.
That would be a nice payday for Darnold, but it would merely delay the inevitable if Minnesota remains sold on McCarthy as the quarterback of the future.
Meanwhile, Darnold would lose control over determining his long-term outlook with another team.
Vikings’ Tag-and-Trade of Darnold Would Be a Win-Win
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates with Sam Darnold #14 after a touchdown against the Chicago Bears
At the end of the day, the NFL is a business and the Vikings should operate to maximize their value in Darnold.
Minnesota could franchise tag Darnold and trade him to a potential suitor. There should be a high demand for his talents, given a shallow quarterback draft class and free agency pool. The Vikings could land a first- or second-round pick in exchange for Darnold after applying the tag.
However, the $41 million tag for the 2025 season could be a sticking point for many teams that would like to negotiate a better deal on their terms. They could move that money into the future by signing Darnold to a new deal after the trade.
Overall, the franchise tag would be an anti-player move that is antithetical to the Vikings organization’s culture. Offering Darnold a say in his potential trade destination would be necessary to help ease tensions over the tag.
Fortunately, there is a strong pool of teams that could be looking for a quarterback in the offseason.
Potential Sam Darnold Landing Spots
The ideal landing spot for Darnold is a team that is not out of the playoff hunt this season and won’t have a high enough draft pick to land a blue-chip prospect.
The Los Angeles Rams fit that bill with a 37-year-old Matthew Stafford who has an out of his contract this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers do not have a starting quarterback under contract for next season and may feel it’s time to move on from Russell Wilson.
The Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints also have talented rosters but uncertain quarterback situations heading into the offseason.
