Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Jake Luton

Tuesday, February 18, 4:25 PM

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.

Tuesday, September 26, 9:33 PM

The New Orleans Saints signed quarterback Jake Luton to their 53-man roster from their practice squad on Tuesday. Luton's signing is a good indication that the team is preparing to be without starting quarterback Derek Carr (shoulder) for the near future. Luton will serve as the team's backup QB while Jameis Winston runs the offense in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fantasy managers relying on Carr should be making alternate plans at the quarterback position heading into this weekend.