Minnesota Vikings Moving on from Sam Darnold, Eyes on New QB Options
The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly decided not to re-sign veteran quarterback Sam Darnold, as they mov forward with their plans for the 2025 season. The 27-year-old quarterback, who signed a one-year deal with the Vikings last year, will become a free agent when the new league year begins on March 12.
The Vikings’ first-round pick in 2024, J.J. McCarthy, is expected to return to practice this spring, but Minnesota is still planning to add a veteran quarterback to the roster. Among the potential candidates are Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers.
With the Seattle Seahawks recently trading starting quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, Darnold could be in line to join the NFC West in 2025, depending on how things unfold.
Darnold’s 2024 season with the Vikings was one for the books. According to the league’s website, “After signing a one-year deal with the Vikings, Darnold authored an incredible comeback story in 2024. The 28-year-old produced career highs in passing yards (4,319), touchdowns (39), and completion percentage (66.2), leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record.” However, despite his impressive regular-season performance, Minnesota’s playoff run came to an abrupt halt with a Wild Card Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Last season, the Vikings pushed the Detroit Lions all the way to the final game of the regular season in a fierce battle for the NFC North crown. However, Detroit triumphed with a 31-9 win to secure their second consecutive NFC North title.
With the Lions now having a seasoned quarterback at the helm, their path to another division title appears smoother. Under Dan Campbell‘s leadership, Detroit boasts one of the NFL’s most respected quarterbacks, further bolstered by a new offensive coordinator, John Morton, who played a key role in shaping the team’s offensive strategy.
Joey Harrington, former Lions quarterback, weighed in on Detroit’s future during his appearance at the Combine. He doesn’t believe Detroit’s Super Bowl window is closing anytime soon. “I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anybody say that their Super Bowl window is closed. Maybe I’m not paying enough attention,” Harrington said, via MLive. “But when you lose that many guys on defense and you still win 15 games, I think that says something about the type of talent, the type of cohesiveness, the type of coaching that they have. Man, I see no reason why they can’t make another run again. So yeah, I’m not saying the window is closed by any means.”
As Darnold heads into free agency, it seems his future in Minnesota is coming to a close, but his next move could land him in a new division as teams continue to assess their quarterback situations.
