The Minnesota Vikings future with Sam Darnold is a polarizing topic. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley predicted Darnold will re-sign, in part due to uncertainty around the QB’s breakout season, in an article published on December 31.
Buckley’s take aligns with a report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on December 28 that the Vikings are indeed open to bringing Darnold back, and he wants to return.
However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano does not see that happening.
“I think it’s going to be very expensive to keep him, and I don’t know – they have the 10th pick in this year’s draft on the roster. I know he got hurt, he couldn’t play. But I think – this is the best year Sam Darnold’s ever had, like easily, right?” Graziano told Mike Greenberg on “Get Up” on December 31.
“He’s 13th in QBR. [The] 13th highest-paid quarterback right now makes $45 million a year. Is that what you’re paying for Sam Darnold – or more? You want to pay him $50 [million] a year? You have a guy on your roster, who has to be your starter at some point soon.”
Graziano believes that Darnold will ultimately find a team willing to pay him more in free agency than the Vikings.
The Vikings can franchise tag Darnold. But Graziano advises against paying the QB big money.
“If you play roulette and you put all your money on number 17, and it comes up and you hit it, you don’t put it all right back on 17. You keep the money. The reason you pay Justin Jefferson $36 million a year and you know you can get away with that is because you know you’re going to have a rookie quarterback contract for the next three or four years of J.J. McCarthy. I don’t think Sam Darnold fits with the Vikings’ long-term team-building philosophy.
“Unless he’s willing to take a team-friendly deal, I don’t think it’s a responsible decision to bring him back.”
Vikings’ Faith in Kevin O’Connell Just as Key to Sam Darnold’s Future as J.J. McCarthy
GettyMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell interacts with Sam Darnold #14 before a game against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Vikings traded up in the 2024 draft to select McCarthy, and there was an outside chance he could have replaced Darnold during the season had the rookie stayed healthy and the veteran struggled for a prolonged period.
Neither of those circumstances came into play, with McCarthy tearing his meniscus in the Vikings’ preseason opener.
Darnold has also played at an MVP-caliber level for long stretches of the season.
“Obviously, they believe in McCarthy or they wouldn’t have taken him 10th. Obviously, they believe in their coaching staff that just turned Sam Darnold into something special for a year, right? I think they believe they can do that with J.J. McCarthy as well,” Graziano said. “This is a great situation for any quarterback.
“You say, ‘Why change the situation?’ Re-signing Darnold would be changing the situation. The situation was Donald this year and J.J. McCarthy for the future, and I don’t know why they would go off of that.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has long been fond of Darnold, and that has not changed with the QB executing the coach’s vision for him and the team this season.
“Performance is not indicative of future results,” Graziano warned.
Projections for Darnold call for a contract starting in the $100 million range over multiple seasons on his next deal. He is on a one-year, $10 million pact.
Former Players Push ‘Easy Decision’ to Re-Sign Sam Darnold
GettySam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings leaves the field after beating the Green Bay Packers.
Graziano’s argument came against those of former players Tim Hasselbeck and Domonique Foxworth, both of whom felt it was an “easy” decision to bring Darnold back to the Vikings next season.
“They should resign them. I think this is an easy decision,” Hasselbeck said. “Look, everyone is looking for what Sam Darnold is doing: a guy that’s playing well, a guy that’s loved by his teammates, a guy that’s leading the right way. But they have him in their system, in their building. I think, letting them go and then turning to an unproven player would be a massive mistake.
“He’s a perfect fit for the system. Because it didn’t work with Jaren Hall and didn’t work with Josh Dobbs with what happened to him last year. Look, every quarterback is going to be dependent on the system and the environment to a certain extent, and some more than others. … If you have a guy that is the right fit, then great! You just hit the jackpot. That works in the NFL.”
Hasselbeck also pointed to the risk of McCarthy potentially being incapable of getting the ball to Justin Jefferson and the Vikings’ other pass-catchers.
Foxworth agreed. He also noted the camaraderie the Vikings displayed after Week 17.
“This is just happy for a guy, and I agree with Tim,” Foxworth said. “If you move on from San Donnell, you’re hoping that the next guy produces like this.
“Why change the situation? I think sometimes you can overthink it. You have small windows to win championships. This is a championship-contending team. We understand that the logic is that J.J. McCarthy extends that window. But right now, you’re in it. He could come in and close the window immediately.”
In addition to McCarthy, the Vikings have former New York Giants first-round pick Daniel Jones.
He is insurance in case Darnold finds his best offer lies elsewhere, giving the Vikings options for how they wish to proceed.
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