With the Minnesota Vikings crumbling in Week 18 of the regular season and in the Wild Card Round, a guarantee for a return from breakout quarterback Sam Darnold seems to be eliminated.
Darnold shocked the NFL landscape by leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and nearly the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If the Vikings lack trust in the former top-three pick, they could allow him to walk in free agency, turning to the unproven J.J. McCarthy, a top 2024 NFL Draft pick.
Because of this, Pro Football Network ranked the Vikings star as the No. 10 free agent this offseason, behind the likes of Tee Higgins, Trey Smith, and others.
4 Potential Landing Spots for Darnold
There are plenty of organizations in need of a QB that may be unable to find a franchise player at the position in the 2025 NFL Draft. These teams could be interested in signing Darnold to a lucrative contract in free agency following a season of 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Let’s analyze four of the most likely landing spots for Darnold if Minnesota opts for McCarthy to lead the charge next year.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have arguably the most uncertain future at the position, with QB Russell Wilson and Justin Fields entering free agency alongside Darnold. The Steelers front office may not be convinced Wilson or Fields is the present or future of their franchise, paving the way for Darnold to take the helm.
Pittsburgh could select a QB like Alabama’s Jalen Milroe in a later round of the NFL Draft, where he could sit for a year or potentially more behind Darnold. This could allow head coach Mike Tomlin to continue his historic winning-season streak while finally having a promising QB being developed from the sidelines.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback situation is fully dependent on which players are available at No. 6 in the NFL Draft. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward would likely take preference for Las Vegas’ front office over Darnold, but let’s assume both QBs are off the board.
READ MORE: Top 100 NFL Free Agent QB Rankings
Pete Carroll was hired as their new head coach, not to build for the future but to create a culture that sticks around for many years. Carroll could do that much easier with a QB like Darnold, even if postseason success does not come as a result. In Minnesota, the 27-year-old threw the ball to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, which he would not have the same luxury of doing in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Rams
Just as the Raiders signing Darnold is dependent on the NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams’ next QB lies on a decision looming for veteran Matthew Stafford. Will he retire or continue competing for a Super Bowl in L.A.?
If Stafford opts for the former, the Rams’ roster is still constructed to contend in the immediate future with head coach Sean McVay leading the charge. It would be quite an ironic team-up, as the Rams could hopefully get over the hump after coming up one score short of an NFC Championship appearance with the QB they eliminated in embarrassing fashion in the Wild Card Round.
New York Giants
The New York Giants are nothing short of a train wreck, having allowed running back Saquon Barkley to walk in free agency only to cut ties with QB Daniel Jones midseason. To make matters worse, New York had the top selection locked up before putting up a 45-point victory in Week 17, dropping to the No. 3 pick by the end of Week 18.
Quarterback is far from the only hole on the Giants’ roster, but at least Darnold could potentially quiet some of the hatred surrounding the organization. That is if he’s able to perform at a high level without premier weapons on the outside.
