ESPN's Turron Davenport and Jeremy Fowler write that the Tennessee Titans will have some interest if quarterback Sam Darnold reaches free agency next week, but only at the right price -- in the $30 million per year range, according to a team source. And if the Titans were to sign a veteran QB like Darnold in free agency, they could still draft Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders in the first round of this year's draft. The Titans were enamored by Ward when they talked to him at the NFL Combine last week, and many believe he'd be their top choice if they don't trade out of the top overall pick. Former second-rounder Will Levis, who struggled in his opportunity as the starter last year, will get an opportunity to compete for the job with whomever they bring in. Adding a QB in free agency would only increase the odds of Tennessee trading out of the top spot for more draft capital this year and in years to come.
Mar 5, 2025 6:20 PM EST
The Minnesota Vikings officially did not place the franchise tag on impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold by Tuesday's deadline, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. However, the two sides will continue to work towards a deal that is best for both sides. Although the 27-year-old could return to Minnesota after a career year in 2024, it's probably only likely to happen if his market in free agency isn't as robust as expected. The bottom line is that the Vikings don't want to hold back last year's first-rounder J.J. McCarthy (knee) and would probably prefer to bring Daniel Jones back as an insurance policy at a much cheaper cost. After the Los Angeles Rams restructured QB Matthew Stafford's contract, Darnold is the top available signal-caller, with his most likely landing spots being the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants. For fantasy purposes, obviously staying in Minnesota as the starter would be the most ideal for Darnold.
Mar 4, 2025 5:20 PM EST
League sources think that the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are the two likeliest landing spots for Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold, but the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers could also go after him. Tagging Darnold and trading him for premium draft capital would be the best-case scenario but that's unlikely to happen now that the Vikings aren't expected to use the franchise tag on the 27-year-old. The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that it only makes sense to re-sign Darnold if his free-agent market is more depressed than expected. It will be more of a luxury since they have plenty of other holes to fill on the roster and don't want to hinder quarterback J.J. McCarthy's (knee) progression after they took him in the first round of last year's draft. Lewis says that the Vikes think the better plan is paying Daniel Jones around $10 million instead of paying Darnold around $35 million.
Mar 4, 2025 12:44 AM EST
The Minnesota Vikings are not expected to place the franchise tag on impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold by Tuesday's deadline, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. However, all parties are working through their options to potentially keep him in Minnesota. Rapoport describes Darnold's situation as fluid with free agency right around the corner. Last year's first-rounder, quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) missed all of his rookie season after injuring his knee in the preseason, and then Darnold went on to have a career year, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. If the Vikings think McCarthy might need another full year of development, it would make sense that they're considering re-signing Darnold for 2025. The 27-year-old won't have a shortage of suitors in free agency, though, with the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders perhaps going after him the hardest.
Mar 3, 2025 10:28 PM EST
The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold is not viewed as a realistic target for the New York Jets, both because of his projected price and the unlikelihood that he'd want to return to the team that drafted him. The Jets are expected to target a middle-tier QB and go into training camp with a competition between Tyrod Taylor, a veteran free agent and possibly a rookie. League sources believe Justin Fields will be a prime target, but other teams will be in on him, and the Pittsburgh Steelers may prefer keeping him over Russell Wilson. Rosenblatt also lists Wilson, Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins (if the Falcons release him) as options for New York this offseason. The Jets sit at No. 7 overall in the upcoming NFL draft, and if they are to trade up to first overall, it would be to select Miami QB Cam Ward. However, that would likely involve moving multiple first-round picks and/or players.
Mar 3, 2025 9:23 PM EST
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler continues to hear that the Minnesota Vikings won't mortgage their future to re-sign impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold. Fowler also says that there wasn't much momentum coming out of the NFL Combine this week that the Vikings will use the franchise tag on Darnold, who should have multiple suitors if he reaches the open market. The New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers could all be involved for a QB that won 14 games for the Vikes in 2024 and is the best option at the position on the market by a wide margin. Aside from Darnold, there's a real possibility Minnesota re-signs Daniel Jones (knee) as insurance for J.J. McCarthy (knee) in case last year's first-rounder needs more time. Fowler also points out that the Vikings interviewed Miami's Cam Ward at the Combine. All signs are pointing to Darnold not returning to Minnesota in 2025.
Mar 2, 2025 12:50 PM EST
The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed say that the Las Vegas Raiders prioritized trading for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford because they aren't very high on Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent QB Sam Darnold or the other potential free agents such as the Pittsburgh Steelers' Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. However, according to league sources, there are members of the coaching staff who prefer adding a veteran signal-caller to taking a dice roll on a rookie QB. It makes sense because of the fact that this year's QB draft class isn't perceived to be very deep, and the only options worth drafting in the first round could be gone by the time the Raiders make their pick at No. 6 overall. The Raiders want to win now, but Darnold, who is coming off a career year with Minnesota, might be too expensive for their taste after he collapsed in the final two games in 2024.
Mar 1, 2025 12:13 PM EST
The Las Vegas Raiders are now expected to investigate veteran quarterback options that include free-agents Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Sam Darnold, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Raiders recently met with quarterback Matthew Stafford and reportedly offered him a two-year deal worth up to $90-100 million guaranteed, but Stafford instead chose to restructure his deal to stay in L.A. With Stafford now off the table, Vegas will turn to their backup options, including both of the Pittsburgh Steelers' impending free-agent signal-callers. Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew III are currently on the roster, but the new Raiders coaching staff prefers a veteran with experience, and Minshew is expected to be released. The most obvious fit is Wilson due to his history with head coach Pete Carroll in Seattle, but he's also 36 years old and fizzled out down the stretch in his first year in the Steel City.
Feb 28, 2025 5:16 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold was a name brought up to ESPN New York's Jordan Raanan on Friday as a potential option for the New York Giants. The G-Men were interested in Darnold last offseason before he signed a one-year contract with the Vikings, but he was too expensive for what they were looking for. Now, New York is looking for a starter after cutting Daniel Jones midway through the 2024 season. In addition to Darnold, Raanan also mentions veterans Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers as options the Giants will be looking at after Matthew Stafford restructured his deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Friday. Darnold, 27, fell apart in the final two games of the year for Minnesota, but he still had the best year of his career in 17 regular-season starts, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 TDs and 12 interceptions. He'd be a pretty nice upgrade over what Jones was during his Giants tenure.
Feb 28, 2025 3:24 PM EST
If the Minnesota Vikings bring back impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold, ESPN's Dan Graziano writes that they'd be blowing up their plans for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) and their entire roster. Putting the franchise tag on Darnold this year and again next year would cost around $40 million in 2025 and around $48 million in 2026. If they reach an extension with him, he'd likely have a salary cap number around $28 million in 2026. In comparison, McCarthy's cap numbers over the next three years are around $5 million, $6 million and $7 million. Meanwhile, receiver Justin Jefferson's 2026 and 2027 camp numbers are around $39 million and $43.5 million, respectively. Minnesota obviously believed enough in McCarthy being their future franchise QB when they took him 10th overall in 2024, but then he required season-ending knee surgery and Darnold had a career year. Based on this logic, it seems likely the Vikes will let Darnold walk in free agency and turn to McCarthy in 2025.
Feb 26, 2025 6:53 PM EST
ESPN's Kevin Seifert reports that the Minnesota Vikings are in no rush to place the franchise tag on impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold despite his career year in 2024. It doesn't mean they won't eventually use it on the 27-year-old signal-caller, and it doesn't rule out the team giving him a multi-year extension. Another option is that the Vikings tag Darnold and then trade him for draft-pick compensation. Keeping Darnold on the tag in 2025 would cost Minnesota around $40 million, which would be a questionable decision with former first-rounder J.J. McCarthy (knee) waiting in the wings as the franchise QB. Seifert believes the most likely scenario is that the team lets Darnold sign elsewhere while saving the tag for a player like cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who had a career-high six interceptions in 2024. Darnold set career-highs last year across the board but also had just one TD and a 53% completion percentage in the last two games.
Feb 18, 2025 4:25 PM EST
In Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell's Coach of the Year news conference, he said, "Our goal is to win a championship and Sam Darnold is going to be a huge part of it when we do it," When asked to clarify, O'Connell said that Darnold has "earned the right to be a free agent, but we will continue to have ongoing dialogue and discussions with him and his representation." O'Connell went back on his comments a bit and said his previous comments about Darnold were made "in the spirit of answering a question about Darnold's season." Darnold had a career season in 2024, but his struggles in the final two games might make the Vikings more apt to give first-rounder J.J. McCarthy a shot in 2025 and let another team spend on Darnold. The Vikings also have former Giants QB Daniel Jones as an insurance policy in case they let Darnold walk in free agency.
Feb 7, 2025 12:03 PM EST
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that the Minnesota Vikings haven't made a firm determination on impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold's future with the organization. Darnold exceeded all expectations in 2024, and bringing him back is a stronger possibility that it was five or six months ago. However, the Vikings have a cap on what they'll spend on the QB position, especially after he struggled to close out the year. Some agents think Darnold shouldn't take a penny less than Daniel Jones' four-year, $160 million deal with the New York Giants two years ago. He could get something similar to Baker Mayfield's three-year, $100 million deal, or the Vikes could slap the $35.3 million transition tag on him. Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 TDs and 12 interceptions in 17 games, but his struggles in the final two games will ultimately cost him a lot of money on the open market. Whether the Vikings keep him will depend on how confident they are in J.J. McCarthy and Jones.
Feb 3, 2025 8:53 PM EST
According to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, the Las Vegas Raiders are considered a potential suitor for quarterback Sam Darnold. Lewis also mentioned that the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, and the New York Giants could also pursue Darnold in free agency. Lewis noted that among the teams that need a quarterback, no team has more cap space than the Raiders. In addition, with new head coach Pete Carroll, they may opt to pair him with a veteran quarterback. This past season, the Raiders relied on Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell under center and could only win four games. The Raiders also hold the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and could look to pair a rookie quarterback with Darnold. Last season, Darnold enjoyed a career season as he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record. He threw for 4,319 yards and 35 passing scores with 12 interceptions.
Feb 2, 2025 2:21 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold resurrected his career by leading the Vikings to 14 wins in 2024 while posting career-highs in passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35), but he came crashing down hard in losses to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round in which he had a combined 23 off-target throws and took 11 sacks. Darnold's future is now as unsettled as ever as he heads toward free agency in March, but ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Darnold is still the top free-agent QB. The teams that Fowler has spoken with recently forecasted Darnold in the Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield weight class of contracts. Mayfield got a three-year, $100 million deal last offseason with Tampa, while Smith signed a three-year, $75 million deal before the 2023 season. Darnold tanked to end the year, but he did enough to find work as a starter somewhere else if Minnesota doesn't want him back.
Jan 14, 2025 4:51 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 25-of-40 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown in Monday night's 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He'd add 19 yards on four carries, tossed one interception, was sacked nine times, and coughed up a fumble that was returned for a TD. Ouch. There's no getting around it: Darnold played poorly for a second consecutive contest, seemingly crumbling again under the pressure of the bright lights. This isn't to take anything away from an exceptional LA Rams defensive game plan, but the 27-year-old held onto the ball for too long, too often. Even the good throws were either well-defended or dropped by the intended target. In two weeks' time, Minnesota went from potentially clinching a first-round bye to being the victim of a first-round exit. The USC product was stellar for a large portion of 2024. Unfortunately, his last two performances will likely mar most of his improvements. He'll head into 2025 on the search for a new job.
Jan 13, 2025 11:46 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (quad) will get his first career playoff start this Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams on the road. Darnold sustained a mild quad injury in last weekend's loss to the Detroit Lions but he is all systems go for the Wild Card round after practicing fully. The 27-year-old is coming off one of his worst starts of the season as Detroit was all over him last Sunday night, though he didn't do himself many favors. He'll line up against a Rams squad that's been a favorable spot for quarterbacks in 2024, letting up an average of 19.2 fantasy points per game -; the ninth-most in the league. The USC product was able to bounce back earlier in the season after a few subpar performances, and we'll see if he can do it again in a win-or-go-home situation. He'll clock in at RotoBaller's QB6 for the tournament's first round.
Jan 11, 2025 4:46 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (quadriceps) finds himself on this week's injury report but he was able to practice in full on Thursday as the team begins preparing to face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday evening in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Darnold appeared to hurt his leg late in the Sunday night loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions in the Week 18 regular-season finale, but he didn't miss any snaps on his way to a poor showing (166 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions). He should be fine to play against the Rams, where he'll have plenty of bounce-back potential despite losing to them back on Oct. 24, when he went 18-for-25 for 240 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, the Rams defense was a top-10 matchup for opposing QBs all year by allowing 19.6 fantasy points per game to the position. Darnold will be a solid midrange QB1 target in fantasy against LA.
Jan 9, 2025 5:40 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 18-of-41 passes for 166 yards in Sunday night's 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. He did not throw a touchdown or interception and added 11 yards on two carries. Week 18 was easily the 27-year-old's worst start of the season, statistically. Darnold's passing output was a season low, and it was the first time since Week 10 that he failed to toss at least one score. Despite being sacked just twice in the meeting, Detroit's front seven was in the signal-caller's face all game, throwing off his timing and forcing him from the pocket. In a game when it mattered most, the Lions' D played incredibly tough -- clinching home-field advantage in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. With the Vikings now occupying the fifth seed in the NFC, they'll square off against the Los Angeles Rams on the road in Wild Card Weekend.
Jan 5, 2025 11:39 PM EST
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is an excellent play in Sunday night's meeting with their division-rival Detroit Lions. The former first-round pick has been a revelation in 2024, working his way to 4,153 yards and 35 passing scores -; obliterating his previous career bests. Those numbers are good enough for fourth and fifth amongst league leaders, respectively, while his 68.1% completion percentage is a hair better than Lamar Jackson's 67.9. Darnold has undoubtedly played himself into another year of starting and will get a chance to put the cherry on top of his sensational season on Sunday Night Football against a vulnerable Detroit Lions pass defense. The Lions have allowed their opponents the second-most passing yards per game (250.4) and have afforded fantasy QBs 20.1 fantasy points per contest -; the eighth-highest in the league. The 27-year-old comes in at RotoBaller's QB5 ahead of this weekend's slate.
Jan 3, 2025 4:29 PM EST
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