Vikings hope to retain QB Sam Darnold

Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Minnesota indeed hopes that it will be able to retain Darnold, who has piloted the Vikings to a 12-2 record and a shot at the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Jones’ sources confirm prior reports that the 27-year-old passer has set himself up for a contract that would pay him at least $25M per season, which is, of course, a considerable raise on the one-year, $10M deal he signed with the Vikings this year.

That said, Minnesota is projected to have upward of $70M in cap space in 2025, so a “middle-class” QB deal would be feasible. It may even be a bargain if Darnold, under the tutelage of head coach Kevin O’Connell, has truly blossomed into the player the Jets believed he would be when they made him the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft.

Darnold’s 104.9 QB rating is the fourth-highest mark in the league, he has led four game-winning drives and the Vikings are eighth in the league in scoring as of the time of this writing. That performance, combined with Minnesota’s win-loss record, makes it no surprise that the team wants him back.

Of course, the Vikes signed Darnold this offseason to make him a bridge passer, not a long-term fixture under center. As such, the team selected J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick of this year’s draft, and McCarthy was the player deemed to be the quarterback of the future.

According to Jones, that has not changed. The Vikings’ level of faith in McCarthy is as high as it was when he was drafted, and the season-ending knee injury he suffered in August has not altered the club’s view of his career trajectory. 

However, Darnold’s efforts this season cannot be ignored, and one AFC executive told Jones that McCarthy could become Minnesota’s version of Green Bay’s Jordan Love (a first-round pick who sat behind Aaron Rodgers for several seasons before finally getting a chance to run the show).

Since Darnold’s combination of youth and ability could make him the most desirable QB in this year’s free-agent class, it is still possible that his asking price goes beyond the Vikings’ comfort level. 

But his 2024 showing has afforded him the ability to be selective about his future home, and Jones says the USC product will naturally exercise caution to avoid undesirable situations like those he found himself in as a member of the Jets and Panthers. 

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the Browns would have interest if Darnold hits the open market, though it is unclear whether Cleveland — despite the presumptive presence of a well-respected offensive mind in HC Kevin Stefanski — would qualify as a desirable situation.

Minnesota has proved to be a perfect fit, and if the Vikings are willing to spend, it appears that the door to a multiyear pact between Darnold and the club remains open.