The Minnesota Vikings will have a huge decision to make with Sam Darnold this offseason. Could they be set to make a huge mistake when it's all said and done? Here is a recent update on the situation from Ian Raporport of NFL Network:
The #Vikings are not expected to franchise tag QB Sam Darnold by Tuesday’s deadline, per me and @TomPelissero. But all parties are working through options to potentially keep him in Minnesota.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2025
Darnold, who is set to hit free agency, has a situation best described as fluid. pic.twitter.com/q3A8iGkYEQ
Darnold, somehow still just 27 years old, broke out in a big way in 2024 with the Vikings, leading them to a 14-3 regular season record while throwing for over 4,000 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 intercecptions. He completed 66.% of his passes and earned a 102.4 passer rating. It was, by far, the best season of his NFL career, and really goes to show you just how important coaching is in the NFL.
This was him not playing his best football until his seventh year in the league. Now yes, he hasn't been as good as many thought, and much of him not succeeding was probably because of him, but the coaching aspect really helps more than you think in my opinion.
The main issue for the Vikings is that they used a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on JJ McCarthy and had originally signed Darnold to be their backup. I am not sure a single soul in that building thought Darnold would have played as well as he did, and we now know that they aren't going to use the franchise tag on him but still seem to have some interest in bringing him back.
However you look at this situation, you have to agree that Minnesota may end up making a huge mistake here. Do they bring Sam Darnold back on a short-term deal, or do they hand the keys over to the de-facto rookie in McCarthy? Darnold seemed to collapse a bit down the stretch when they stakes got higher, and that actually did seem to water down what he did up to that point.
Right now, it is so unclear what the Vikings will ultimately do, and I do not envy GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. It's not a bad problem to have, but he's been a very good GM thus far and has truly rebuild this roster for the long-term, so making a wrong decision with the QB situation could hold them back multiple years.
What the Minnesota Vikings end up doing with QB Sam Darnold could dictate how the entire QB market goes in the 2025 NFL Offseason. Only time will tell what happens.