Sam Darnold was a revelation in 2024, and the veteran quarterback silenced just about all of his critics and doubters by turning in an excellent season and leading the Minnesota Vikings to the brink of the NFC North title.
But now, the Vikings have a difficult decision to make, as Darnold is about to become a free agent and they also have a promising young QB in J.J. McCarthy.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently revealed how the Vikings plan to approach the situation.
“I’m told that the Minnesota Vikings are open to doing a deal with Sam Darnold. People I’ve talked to around the league believe that the franchise tag is not the likeliest path that Minnesota would take,” Fowler said, via The Purple Persuasion. “… So Minnesota’s stance seems to be that they’re not going to mortgage the future for Sam Darnold.”
“What was made clear to me though is JJ McCarthy is the franchise QB at some point…”
At.
Some.
Point.Are they pumping Darnold’s value or is JJ McCarthy that far off from starting?
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) February 20, 2025
McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after he helped Michigan win the national championship, and there were questions about whether he could succeed in a pass-heavy offense like the one the Vikings run.
Then, McCarthy was unable to play in 2024 due to a torn meniscus he suffered during the preseason.
As a result, Darnold stepped in and made up for several years of substandard football by throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, which earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
However, he played poorly in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions in the game that decided first place in the division and in the wild-card round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams, which may give other interested teams something to think about this offseason.
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