Free agent quarterback Sam Darnold made himself a ton of money this season as the NFL’s most surprising comeback story when he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-win regular season behind a career-high 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns.
It’s anybody’s guess what’s next for Darnold after such an impressive season, and one analyst has a strong belief about one aspect of Darnold’s future.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently appeared on Unsportsmanlike and said, “My anticipation on Darnold is that he will probably have a free agent market that prices him out of what Minnesota wants to do given that J.J. McCarthy is coming there…I’ll be surprised if he’s back on the Vikings.”
More from @DanGrazianoESPN on @Vikings QB Sam Darnold ?
“My anticipation on Darnold is that he will probably have a FA market that prices himself out of what Minnesota wants to do… I’ll be surprised if he’s back on the Vikings.”
pic.twitter.com/SDf0yOkLju— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) January 31, 2025
Graziano noted that at 27 years old and with a handful of teams likely to be in the market for a new quarterback, Darnold should receive a hefty payday that, given McCarthy’s presence, wouldn’t make sense for the Vikings to match.
He suggested the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Las Vegas Raiders as teams with a clear need for the position.
While the Giants or Raiders could certainly be in the running to take someone like Shedeur Sanders high in April’s draft, Darnold would also be a viable option if they’d rather have a veteran.
The Raiders and Saints both have new coaches, with the Raiders recently hiring 73-year-old Pete Carroll, who might not have the patience to wait for a rookie to develop.
Even though Darnold crashed and burned over the Vikings’ final two games, he is still in line for quite the payday this offseason.
It just might not be with the Vikings.
NEXT: J.J. McCarthy Has Had Notable Physique Change During Injury Rehab
