The quarterback position remains the most lucrative, challenging, and essential spot on an NFL team. With its value and prestige only growing by the season, teams are concentrating on finding the right guy. This offseason, nearly seven teams are looking to find a new leader.
With names relatively limited in the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency, one name on everyone’s mind is Sam Darnold. After a career revival in Minnesota, the former first-round pick is among the most popular candidates in this free agency, and his market is reportedly heating up.
Sam Darnold War Down to Three Teams?
This offseason has been a rather perplexing one in the NFL. Beloved franchise legends like WR Tyler Lockett have been released, while EDGE rusher Myles Garrett is signing record extensions after demanding a trade. And a team like the Cincinnati Bengals allows DE Trey Hendrickson to field trade offers.
So, with all the madness already underway, the Darnold market is already starting to get complicated. The Minnesota Vikings, after winning 14 games under him and reviving his career as he finished top-five in the league in passing yards and touchdowns, could have been a name.
But his return to the Vikings remains uncertain. Another possible destination, the Las Vegas Raiders, made a trade to acquire QB Geno Smith, narrowing down the options for Darnold further. And Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes the race is down to three teams.
For him, Minnesota is effectively out of it. “While Aaron Rodgers is the biggest name, Sam Darnold will probably get the biggest deal on the quarterback market. The Vikings would like him back, but that ship looks like it’s now sailed.”
Instead, he believes, “The Pittsburgh Steelers have interest. The New York Giants, too. But after the Geno Smith trade, the Seahawks loom as the favorite to land him.” But Breer has a favorite for the highest-ranked QB and 11th-ranked player overall in PFSN’s top-100 free agent rankings.
“Seattle can offer what Minnesota would have a hard time giving him—the promise of being a multiyear starter on a Baker Mayfield–level deal (three years, $100 million)—which explains why the Vikings have faded in this picture.”
The latest from PFSN also has Darnold agreeing to a deal in that range. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers is the team on everyone’s mind at PFSN. The reasoning is simple, as explained by Ben Rolfe.
“If [Russell] Wilson and [Justin] Fields are not coming back, then the best free agent quarterback is Sam Darnold. Playing for the Vikings last year, Darnold produced his best season, finishing as the QB12 in our QB+ metric — above both Wilson and Fields.”
With the Steelers on Breer’s list as well, it could make sense for Mike Tomlin to go after him. However, with Seattle’s reported interest in Darnold, it might come down to the wire before the former New York Jet has a new home in the league.