The Minnesota Vikings are keeping their options open at the quarterback position for the 2025 season — however, Sam Darnold appears to be a foregone conclusion.
In light of the Vikings signing Daniel Jones to their practice squad, Longtime ESPN host Trey Wingo reported on November 27 that “no matter what happens the rest of this season Darnold won’t be back with the Vikings, per sources.”
It’s been safe to assume that Darnold will garner interest for a starting job in 2025. However, this is the first sourced report shutting the door on any prospect of the 27-year-old quarterback returning to Minnesota.
Darnold is second in the league in Pro Football Focus’ big-time throws metric and has thrown 21 touchdowns through 11 games, the fourth-most in the league. He’s among only eight quarterbacks with a passer rating over 100.0 this season.
Darnold is projected to garner a contract worth $32.4 million a year, which seems well out of the Vikings’ price range with rookie J.J. McCarthy poised to compete for the starting job in 2025.
Whether Wingo’s sources are internal or outside of the decision-makers in Minnesota, Darnold’s market in free agency forces the issue.
Sam Darnold Deemed No. 1 Free Agent QB, NFL Executives See Strong Market
GettySam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings walks off the field after a win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Surpassing expectations this season, Darnold was deemed the No. 1 free-agent quarterback of the 2025 offseason by ESPN.
That’s not just media fluff, either. The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported on November 28 that several NFL executives believe Darnold will command a market in free agency.
“Darnold’s price might continue to go up as teams evaluate the draft and available free-agent quarterbacks,” Russini wrote. “Front office executives believe that his experience and performance in Minnesota this season will make Darnold’s market competitive in March.”
The contract Darnold is poised to garner in free agency will greatly exceed the one-year, $10 million deal he signed in March with the Vikings.
Minnesota has enjoyed the surplus value of the deal, but likely isn’t willing to pay much more for Darnold, or another quarterback, with McCarthy as their long-term plan at quarterback.
Daniel Jones Fits the Vikings’ Need for Stopgap QB in 2025
Getty Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings meets Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants.
Onto Kevin O’Connell‘s next project.
Jones, released from his four-year, $160 million contract with the New York Giants in Week 12, is entering a trial run to see if he’s a good fit in Minnesota.
The next year will be largely a reset for the former No. 6 overall pick, meaning there won’t be a market for him other than as a backup.
That doesn’t guarantee that he will re-sign with the Vikings, but it looks like Minnesota is primed to re-sign him by getting him in the building early.
When the Vikings signed Darnold, it was under the expectation that he would compete for the starting job and be the likely Day 1 starter until McCarthy was ready.
If McCarthy is not the Day 1 starter to begin the 2025 season, it would come as a mild disappointment.
However, the Vikings remain resolute in not rushing McCarthy. O’Connell developed a reputation as the “quarterback killer” during the team’s evaluation of the 2024 draft.
And if he believes McCarthy needs more time, Jones would be the firewall.
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