Sam Darnold Predicted to Make Unexpected Free Agency Decision

Sam Darnold established himself as an NFL starter after one season with the Minnesota Vikings. 

Last season, Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-4 record. While they eventually lost 27-9 to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round, it was a successful campaign for Darnold. 

Before serving as the Vikings' starter in 2024, Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the franchise. While Darnold had a career season with the Vikings, a recent offseason prediction has the former No. 3 overall pick on the move once again. 

Dan Graziano and the ESPN NFL Nation staff predicted Darnold will sign with the Tennessee Titans. While the Titans are surely in need of a long-term option at quarterback, it's a surprising prediction given that Tennessee holds the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

During his lone season with the Vikings, Darnold passed for 35 touchdowns and 4,319 yards with a 66.2 completion percentage.  

In Minnesota's final game of the season, Darnold recorded one touchdown and 245 yards, completing 62.5% of his pass attempts against a talented Rams defense. 

Darnold would be joining a quarterback room that featured both Will Levis and Mason Rudolph last season. Levis capped off the year with 13 touchdowns and 2,091 yards while Rudolph posted nine touchdowns and 1,530 yards during his first season with the organization. 

If the Titans were to pass on a free agent, some of the top available quarterback prospects in next month's draft include Cam Ward (Miami), Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss).