Possible Destinations for Sam Darnold in Free Agency
Two surprise teams have been highlighted as potential landing spots for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in free agency.
Sam Darnold had a career year after signing a one-year deal with the Vikings last year, completing 66.2 percent of pass attempts for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Minnesota finished 14-3 in the regular season, their best record since 1998, but fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round.
Darnold's disappointing performance in the postseason, combined with the presence of 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, suggests that the Vikings are unlikely to retain the veteran QB. Given his breakout year at the age of 27, analysing Darnold's potential free-agent market becomes challenging.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, multiple NFL executives believe Darnold will command a deal close to the three-year, $100 million extension signed by Baker Mayfield with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year.
Fowler also mentioned that the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants could be potential destinations for Darnold:
"Several execs have Darnold in that Baker Mayfield range of contracts, which is around three years and $100 million with strong guarantees. The Raiders and Giants -- both picking outside the top two spots in the draft -- might need to pay a quarterback."
The Raiders are likely looking for a new quarterback after the underwhelming performances of Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II. The Giants, having released Daniel Jones late in the season, ended the year with backup Drew Lock, who is not a long-term solution.
If the Raiders, Vikings, and Giants do not pursue Darnold, several other realistic landing spots exist. The Pittsburgh Steelers will require a new QB if they do not retain Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, both of whom are pending free agents.
The Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans also need to address their quarterback situation and could target a veteran like Darnold if they are not intrigued by the top QB prospects available in the draft. Other potential options could include the New York Jets if they part ways with Aaron Rodgers or the Seattle Seahawks if they move on from Geno Smith.
