The Vikings had the option to either re-sign Darnold, franchise tag him, or allow him to enter free agency. However, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Minnesota is not expected to use the franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline. Rapoport and Pelissero further reported that all parties are exploring different options to potentially keep Darnold in Minnesota.
This decision aligns with comments from head coach Kevin O’Connell throughout the offseason, where he emphasized that Darnold has earned the opportunity to test the open market. The Vikings appear hesitant to commit $40 million to Darnold, despite his strong performance earlier in the season.
His value took a hit at the end of the year when Minnesota was blown out by the Detroit Lions, 31-9, in Week 18 and by the Los Angeles Rams, 27-9, in the wild-card round.
SAM DARNOLD
Minnesota could have tagged Darnold to potentially gain draft compensation if they decided to move on from him in 2025, but their decision to let him test the market suggests they don’t believe any team would be willing to pay the high price tag.
Moreover, the Vikings don’t see a significant enough difference between Darnold and backup quarterback McCarthy to justify paying Darnold $40 million. The question now is whether another team, especially one without a quarterback on a rookie contract, might have a different view in free agency.
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