How Does the NFL’s Shifting Sands At QB Affect the Sam Darnold Situation?
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It doesn’t feel like the Minnesota Vikings offseason can truly start until the Sam Darnold situation is resolved. Earlier in the season, Darnold appeared to be the top quarterback option for teams looking for a change under center next year, but as news continues to break, there might be more and more quarterback options becoming available. How might it change the Darnold situation in Minnesota?
Just last week, the thought process was that Aaron Rodgers would be back in the Big Apple, but after he met with the management of the New York Jets, they informed him they were planning on moving on from him. Is he an upgrade over Darnold? It probably depends on what a team is looking for.
Derek Carr is someone else who could be available, depending on what New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore decides he wants to do with the former Pro Bowler. Carr is 33 years old, and although last year didn’t work out with the Saints, he might still have some good football left in him.
Perhaps most surprising of all, there’s now a thought that Matthew Stafford could be gone from the LA Rams. His wife, Kelly opened some eyes when she brought up on a recent podcast that her husband could be the next Rams player shipped off.
“I will say, the trading away of Cooper, I am a little confused because we were one play away from the NFC Championship and I think if we go, we win,” she said. … And there’s now talk about trading your quarterback away. I don’t get it.”
Let’s break down how this all could affect the Vikings’ plans with Darnold…
…If the Vikings Plan To Move On No Matter What
The only way the recent news would have no impact is if the Vikings have already decided to move on from the former third-overall pick. When the Vikings signed Daniel Jones to the practice squad late in the season, there was some thought it could be for more than one year. Kevin O’Connell, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and the rest of the front office have a better idea than any about where J.J. McCarthy is in his rehab from his knee injury, and if they are confident in him starting in 2025, it makes sense to roll with Jones as a backup rather than paying for Darnold. The fact that more quarterbacks are available on the open market wouldn’t have much effect on those plans.
…If the Vikings Want Darnold Back At the Right Price
However, if the Vikings want Darnold back, then more options available to all 32 teams should really help the Vikings’ chances. When Darnold was the clear-cut top option, it was thought that a bidding war could ensue for his services. The projections of how much Darnold will make in 2025 and beyond have been all over the place, but one thing is for sure: it’s going to be more than the $10 million he made in 2024.
Maybe someone like the Las Vegas Raiders, who has been rumored to be a landing spot for Darnold, decides to try to swing a trade for Matthew Stafford instead. That’s one less team that would be willing to pay Darnold, and perhaps less money that the Vikings would have to pay him for a two-year deal.
…If the Vikings Want To Tag-And-Trade Darnold
If the Vikings’ plan is to put the franchise tag on Darnold with hopes of trading him, that value has probably gone down with the quarterback news around the league. If the Vikings believe they can get a high draft pick, it would make sense to explore this route, but maybe other teams now have a better option in a trade. As good as Darnold was for most of 2024, it looked like he was reverting to the old Darnold in the last few weeks of the season.
A team that is looking for a trade for their franchise quarterback now has Darnold or Stafford to choose from. Stafford might be 37 years old, but he is clearly a more proven commodity in the NFL. A team willing to spend that high draft pick to get Darnold could now decide that the better option is with Stafford. Anyone skeptical of Darnold’s comeback, or looking to avoid paying draft capital altogether, could simply go with more reliable veterans in Rodgers or Carr (should the latter get cut).
How this all works out is still to be seen, but there is no doubt the waters are a little more muddy across the league for teams that need a quarterback. It’s very possible that the Purple and Gold can benefit, perhaps even allowing the Vikings to get Darnold back while saving a bit of money.
Up Next