Sam Darnold was a revelation in 2024, and the veteran quarterback silenced nearly all of his critics and doubters by delivering a superb season and main the Minnesota Vikings to the brink of the NFC North title.
However now, the Vikings have a tough resolution to make, as Darnold is about to turn into a free agent they usually even have a promising younger QB in J.J. McCarthy.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler not too long ago revealed how the Vikings plan to method the state of affairs.
“I’m instructed that the Minnesota Vikings are open to doing a cope with Sam Darnold. Folks I’ve talked to across the league consider that the franchise tag is just not the likeliest path that Minnesota would take,” Fowler mentioned, through The Purple Persuasion. “… So Minnesota’s stance appears to be that they’re not going to mortgage the long run for Sam Darnold.”
“What was made clear to me although is JJ McCarthy is the franchise QB in some unspecified time in the future…”
At.
Some.
Level.Are they pumping Darnold’s worth or is JJ McCarthy that far off from beginning?
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) February 20, 2025
McCarthy was the No. 10 general choose within the 2024 NFL Draft after he helped Michigan win the nationwide championship, and there have been questions on whether or not he might achieve a pass-heavy offense just like the one the Vikings run.
Then, McCarthy was unable to play in 2024 as a result of a torn meniscus he suffered throughout the preseason.
In consequence, Darnold stepped in and made up for a number of years of substandard soccer by throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, which earned him his first journey to the Professional Bowl.
Nonetheless, he performed poorly in Week 18 in opposition to the Detroit Lions within the recreation that determined first place within the division and within the wild-card spherical of the playoffs in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, which can give different groups one thing to consider this offseason.
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