QB Sam Darnold Expected to Depart Vikings for AFC Playoff Team

The Minnesota Vikings haven’t gone all-in on Sam Darnold, and with just two weeks remaining until the official opening of free agency, that means the quarterback is likely to field several other offers.

Seth Walder of ESPN authored a column on Wednesday, February 26, in which he predicted the starting QB for all 32 NFL teams come Week 1 of the 2025 season. His pick for Darnold — the perennial playoff-bound Pittsburgh Steelers of the AFC North Division.

“Keeping [Justin] Fields is a possibility, but if the Steelers really liked him, why did they continue to play Russell Wilson over him?” Walder wrote. “And though I have some healthy skepticism of how Darnold will fare without Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson, he’s arguably the best free agent quarterback available. The Steelers land him because they have the most to offer — a potentially very good defense, winning history under Mike Tomlin and the lack of a top pick (making them less likely to take a first-round rookie).”

Vikings Have Made Clear Sam Darnold Not Their Franchise QB

Minnesota has already trumpeted its intentions to make J.J. McCarthy the franchise quarterback, per a report from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, though that doesn’t mean he will start next season in Week 1.

McCarthy is only 22 years old and missed the entirety of his rookie campaign with a knee injury. He has also lost a good deal of weight over the course of multiple surgeries to repair the injured joint. As such, it’s entirely possible that Darnold would start were he to return to Minnesota.

However, Fowler noted that whichever veteran accompanies McCarthy in the QB room will be a “bridge quarterback” to McCarthy’s eventual ascension. In part for that reason, Walder projected that McCarthy will be the Vikings starter to open next season.

“Darnold disintegrating at the end of the season surely hampered his chances of returning to Minnesota because the Vikings have a first-round QB waiting in the wings for 2025 and beyond,” Walder wrote. “Plus, it’s important to note that the Vikings won 14 games because of their strong defense more than anything else. Darnold ranked 14th in QBR with a great play caller in O’Connell and arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver in Jefferson. Is that worth sidelining McCarthy for another season? I’m skeptical.”

Vikings May Be Able to Bring Daniel Jones Back as J.J. McCarthy’s Backup, Competition

With McCarthy on track to participate in the offseason workout program, Minnesota could have a tough time recruiting a starting-caliber QB to come and back him up, particularly considering there are six or seven teams around the NFL in need of a starter.

However, the questions around McCarthy’s health and readiness to begin the 2025 campaign, combined with O’Connell’s reputation as an offensive guru and the set of elite skill players Minnesota has amassed, could be enough to convince a player like Daniel Jones to return on a short-term contract if he believes he can honestly compete for the starting job.

The New York Giants cut Jones halfway through 2024, and he chose to sign on with the Vikings after clearing waivers and hitting in-season free agency. Jones could attempt to rebuild his value in Minnesota if he doesn’t see a deal out there that meets what he believes his worth to be.

As far as the Vikings’ point of view on Jones, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah described the QB as, “a great option for us,” during his media session at the NFL combine on Tuesday.