The Minnesota Vikings have several quarterback options to consider, one of which might involve trading for one of their most despised rivals in franchise history.
Sam Darnold likely hurt his market value with two subpar performances in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions and during Wild Card Weekend against the Los Angeles Rams, games where the pressure was high. Despite these setbacks, Spotrac still forecasts that Darnold’s salary could rise from $10 million in 2024 to $40 million annually in a new four-year deal.
However, it would be a tough sell for Minnesota to justify paying Darnold such a large sum unless they believe he can maintain his status as a top-10 quarterback for the long haul, especially with J.J. McCarthy, who is on a rookie deal worth $22 million total, waiting in the wings.
That said, it would be risky for the Vikings to head into next season without a reliable veteran to either compete with or serve as a backup to McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie year due to a knee injury and has yet to take a regular-season snap in the NFL at just 22 years old.
Daniel Jones, who started for the New York Giants but joined the Vikings midseason, is one potential option. However, if that doesn’t materialize, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers could also be in play.
“As it stands, the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers are the clear front-runners for Rodgers if he were to leave New York, especially with Pittsburgh reportedly not interested,” Colin Keane of ON SI wrote on January 17. “With the Steelers out, the Vikings become an even more likely destination.”
For Rodgers to join the Vikings and Darnold to move to the Jets, a few scenarios are possible. Darnold, an unrestricted free agent in mid-March, would be free to sign with any team if the Vikings don’t extend him before then. On the other hand, Rodgers, under contract with the Jets through 2025, would need to be either traded or released for him to leave New York.
The Jets could very well decide to part ways with Rodgers as they bring in a new general manager and head coach. Rodgers himself acknowledged the uncertainty in a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” stating, “It’s going to come down to the GM, coach, and myself. Whether we want to make it work, or if it’s not in the cards.”
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