Sam Darnold

2025 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 20th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year’s salary cap spike created another opportunity for teams to retain talent, and once the upcoming cap surge (roughly $25MM) produces a number, the 2020 CBA will have produced four straight single-year jumps by at least $16MM. These climbs, which dwarf the per-year jumps the 2011 CBA brought, have both helped teams retain talent and pay for free agents while also ballooning the costs of franchise tags.

That said, last year featured eight players given the franchise tag and one (Kyle Dugger) receiving the transition tender. Illustrating the cap climb’s impact, eight of those nine players landed extensions. None of them occurred near the July 15 extension deadline for tagged players, leaving only the Bengals and Tee Higgins‘ non-negotiations still outstanding by the time the usually action-packed stretch arrived. Higgins is back among this year’s lot of potential tag recipients, but not as many players join him.

We are now in Year 33 of the franchise tag, a retention tool that came about during the same offseason in which full-fledged free agency spawned. With clubs having until 3pm CT on March 4 to apply tags, here is who may be cuffed:

Likely tag recipients

Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals)
Tag cost: $26.18MM

It never made too much sense for the Bengals to pass on tagging Higgins, who would at least — in the event the team would squash Joe Burrow‘s crusade to retain the veteran Ja’Marr Chase sidekick — fetch draft capital in a trade. A second Higgins tag comes in at 120% of his 2024 tag price ($21.82MM). It would be interesting if the Bengals went from not negotiating with Higgins during his four months on the tag last year — and generally being prepared to move on in 2025 — to circling back and paying him a market-value deal, but that does seem to be in play.

Burrow’s push would see the team having roughly $70MM per year allocated to the receiver position; that would squash where even the Eagles and Dolphins have gone for their high-end wideout duos. Higgins, 26, was unable to market his age-25 season thanks to the tag. If the latest rumors surrounding the former second-round pick are accurate, he would be kept off the open market once again. That is a fairly significant window to miss; then again, he would have banked $48MM during that period.

The Bengals are projected to carry more than $53MM in cap space, making this a solution they can afford. But after extensive negotiations with Chase last year and Burrow stumping for Higgins, the team has an important decision to make soon.

Cincinnati has less than two weeks to give Higgins a long-term deal. It would mark quite the about-face to do so. The organization has not seriously negotiated with the WR since the first half of 2023, and even when talks did commence, no proposal came too close to $20MM per year. Those talks predictably broke down, and Higgins’ new price is believed to be around $30MM. With plenty of suitors awaiting — the cap-rich Patriots among them — that would be doable for the 6-foot-4 target, who is coming off a better season compared to his 2023 showing.

Higgins zoomed back to his usual form by hauling in 73 passes for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns; his 75.9 yards per game trailed only his 2021 number (77.9). Higgins, however, missed five games for a second straight season. Hamstring and quad injuries kept Higgins off the field last year, but his market does not appear to have cooled as a result. At worst, the Bengals could fetch Day 2 draft capital in a trade. A first-round pick may be tougher here due to an acquiring team needing to authorize a pricey extension, but teams have been calling ahead of the past two deadlines. Cincinnati still has options, but its Higgins plans will certainly need to be run by Burrow given how much he has stumped for the team to retain the five-year vet.

On tag radar

Sam Darnold, QB (Vikings)
Projected tag cost: $42.39MM

Rumors have not pointed to a clear-cut plan here. At least, the Vikings’ vision for their would-be bridge QB has not become public. But the sides are still talking. Minnesota saw the formerly underwhelming starter break through at 27, taking advantage of the Vikings’ weaponry and Kevin O’Connell‘s ability to coach up quarterbacks. Darnold earned original-ballot Pro Bowl acclaim, throwing 35 touchdown passes (to 12 INTs) and smashing more career-high marks in yardage (4,319) and completion percentage (66.2). Previously in place to hold down the fort while J.J. McCarthy developed, Darnold saw the rookie’s meniscus tear change his Twin Cities outlook.

McCarthy has undergone two surgeries and may have a long way to go in his rehab. As McCarthy went down before playing a regular-season snap, it would make sense for the Vikings to give strong consideration to cuffing Darnold as a pricey insurance measure. On the other hand, the Vikings have a few key performers set to hit the market soon. Byron Murphy, Camryn Bynum and Aaron Jones are moving toward the market. A Darnold cap hold of more than $40MM would clog Minnesota’s payroll ahead of free agency, though the team is projected to carry $63.3MM in space.

Darnold’s late-season letdown undoubtedly factors into the Vikes’ equation, as $42.39MM can be viewed as a bit steep for a player who did not consistently impress in New York or Carolina. But Darnold has proven he can excel in O’Connell’s system. As we detailed on a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post, a multiyear deal for Darnold would not make as much sense; the team still has high hopes for McCarthy. Unless the Vikings plan to entertain the expected trade calls for last year’s No. 10 overall pick, the only way Darnold would stay would be via the tag.

A tag would not be in Darnold’s best interests, as the soon-to-be 28-year-old passer has rare momentum ahead of an offseason featuring several teams with QB needs. A much-criticized draft class at the position would also benefit Darnold, who has been linked to potentially scoring a Baker Mayfield-like deal (three years, $100MM). With the cap now climbing to around $280MM, the seven-year vet could conceivably aim higher. The Vikings hold the cards here in the meantime, as this represents one of the more interesting tag decisions in several years.

Big markets await otherwise

Jevon Holland, S (Dolphins)
Projected tag cost: $20.13MM

Already cutting Raheem Mostert, Kendall Fuller and Durham Smythe to save space, the Dolphins are not expected to roll out a tag for Holland. This would mark a second straight year the Dolphins will send one of the top free agency-eligible players to the market. Miami let Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt walk in 2024; each lineman signed a top-market deal. Holland would be expected to follow suit, as the former second-round pick has started 57 games and is going into his age-25 season. The Dolphins are projected to hold barely $1MM in cap space, mandating more moves ahead of the 2025 league year.

The British Columbia, Canada, native has five career sacks, five picks and five forced fumbles. This comes along with 25 pass breakups. The past two free agencies have seen one safety check in much higher than his peers contractually, with Jessie Bates (four years, $64MM) and Xavier McKinney (4/67) scoring top-five contracts. The latest cap spike will help Holland, who can aim for the $16MM-AAV Bates tier as a floor.

Although PFF viewed Holland as better under Vic Fangio (third overall) than Anthony Weaver (56th), the months-long Miami extension candidate will still do very well if he hits the market. Extension talks with the Oregon alum did not pick up before last season, and the Dolphins appear close to losing another quality starter early in free agency.

Trey Smith, G (Chiefs)
Projected tag cost: $25.8MM

Over the past 15 years, only two guards have been tagged: Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney. Washington cuffed Scherff twice, letting him walk in 2022. New England kept Thuney as a placeholder during a busy 2020 on the tag front. Both players scored then-guard-record deals on the open market. Smith is expected to follow suit, as the Chiefs are viewed as unlikely to apply this pricey placeholder on their four-year right guard starter. Despite having attempted to extend Smith for a bit last summer, the former sixth-round find remains unsigned.

Kansas City looks likely to go left tackle shopping, as Thuney proved overmatched in his final fill-in assignment there, and its four-year LG starter is under contract for one more season. The Chiefs’ four-year, $80MM Jawaan Taylor misstep carries an already-guaranteed 2025 base salary ($19.5MM), thanks to the ex-Jaguar RT being on the Chiefs’ roster last March, and the team handed All-Pro Creed Humphrey a deal that easily made him the NFL’s highest-paid center. Losing Smith may be the cost of doing business, unless the three-time defending AFC champions can craft an 11th-hour solution to keep the 25-year-old Pro Bowler via the tag.

Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens)
Projected tag cost: $25.8MM

It is highly unlikely the Ravens use the tag here, as they already gave Stanley a pay cut in 2024. That said, Baltimore wants to work something out with its longtime left tackle. Stanley’s injury history also would make a $25.8MM guarantee lofty, but this also could be a placeholder to ensure he does not leave in free agency. The Ravens lost three O-line starters in 2024, and this is the costliest position up front.

Then again, the Ravens faced a similar situation in 2019, and they let C.J. Mosley walk rather than overpay on the tag. The Ravens have used the tag in each of the past two offseasons, but it was to retain younger players (Lamar Jackson, Nnamdi Madubuike). They currently are projected to carry barely $12MM in cap space. As PFF notes, only six players 28 and older have been tagged over the past five years. No player over 30 has been tagged since the Bengals retained A.J. Green in 2020. Green was 32 that season; Stanley will turn 31 in March.

The Garett Bolles–Dion Dawkins–Taylor Decker tier, as our Nikhil Mehta pointed out, may be the place to watch for Stanley, who reestablished momentum last season after playing 17 games for the first time in his career and making the Pro Bowl. He is in position to command a nice third contract. Will it come from the Ravens? After the tag window closes, Baltimore has until March 10 to negotiate exclusively with the nine-year blocker.

Byron Murphy, Vikings Push Back Contract Void Date

February 18th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings have agreed with cornerback Byron Murphy to push back the void date on his contract, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Murphy’s deal was set to void this week, which would accelerate the remaining prorations of his signing bonus into $4.2MM of dead money in 2025. The Vikings now have until March 11 until the contract voids, giving them more time to negotiate an extension with Murphy. The agreement is similar to one reached with veteran running back Aaron Jones last week.

As part of the deal, the Vikings cannot place the franchise or transition tag on Murphy. However, the move signals that the team is interested in extending Murphy for 2025 and beyond after he started all 17 games in 2024 with a team-high six interceptions. He is reportedly looking for a significant raise from the two-year, $17.5MM deal he signed with the team in 2023.

The Vikings did not reach a similar agreement with quarterback Sam Darnold, whose contract will also void this week, according to Graziano. That will cause his $5MM in remaining signing bonus prorations to hit the Vikings’ 2025 cap as dead money. However, the team retains the option to use the franchise or transition tag on Darnold, a crucial factor in their ongoing negotiations.

This continues what has already been a busy and important offseason for Minnesota. In addition to Murphy, Jones, and Darnold, the Vikings see key veteran contributors like offensive tackle Cam Robinson and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin face expiring contracts this offseason, as well. The front office will have several decisions to make as they plan to once again push for the NFC North title in 2025.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Sources Expect Titans To Trade No. 1 Overall Pick; Latest On Browns’, Giants’ QB Plans

February 14th, 2025 at 2:30pm CST by Rory Parks

FEBRUARY 14: The Titans are still trending towards trading the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft.

Of a panel of eight executives, coaches, and scouts, five believe that Tennessee will trade down to add more draft capital, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, while three believe that they will stay at No. 1 and, most likely, pick a quarterback.

Their decision represents competing beliefs about how to utilize the top pick in the draft while rebuilding a franchise. Multiple members of the panel pointed out that the Titans’ roster needs go far beyond a quarterback. Trading back would allow them to build a better long-term situation for a future franchise signal-caller.

However, the first overall pick is a rare opportunity, and six of the last seven have been used on a quarterback.

“You have to make it count and get your quarterback,” said one assistant coach. “I think that’s what the Titans will do. Keep the top pick and draft Cam Ward.”

FEBRUARY 9: New Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi already indicated during his introductory press conference several weeks ago that his club is open to the possibility of trading the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Multiple sources tell ESPN’s Dan Graziano they believe Tennessee will do just that (subscription required).

The logic to a trade-down maneuver is clear. The Titans have plenty of holes to fill on their roster, and unless they become convinced one of the top signal-caller prospects in this year’s draft class (Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward) is their surefire QB of the future, moving down to collect additional draft capital makes plenty of sense.

Of course, Borgonzi & Co. are doing their due diligence on Sanders and Ward, and president of football operations Chad Brinker – who has final say over personnel matters, although Borgonzi will run the draft – indicated the team will not pass on a generational talent with the No. 1 pick. In other words, even if the Titans do not think highly enough of Sanders or Ward to make one of them the top overall pick in April, a non-QB blue-chipper like Travis Hunter could still convince Tennessee to retain its coveted position atop the draft board.

If the Titans do not select a QB with their first choice, regardless of where that selection might fall, Graziano notes that a free agent passer like Sam Darnold or Justin Fields could be in play. Or, Tennessee could simply elect to give 2023 second-rounder Will Levis one more shot to prove that he can be the solution under center.

The Browns (No. 2 overall), Giants (No. 3), Raiders (No. 6), and Jets (No. 7) all profile as potential trading partners for the Titans. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who confirms that Tennessee brass is keeping an open mind here, adds the Saints (No. 9) to the list of teams that could engage in trade talks.

Cleveland would not have to move too far up the board to assure itself of its top choice of quarterback prospects, and as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (video link) reiterates, the Browns are expected to draft a passer and would have done so even if Deshaun Watson had not suffered a second Achilles tear that puts his 2025 season in jeopardy. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (subscription required), Browns GM Andrew Berry believes a long-term starter can be found in this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate QBs, even beyond the Sanders/Ward tier (although Berry naturally would not suggest otherwise at this point).

Pelissero adds that, no matter when Berry plans to pull the trigger on a college quarterback, Cleveland is also expected to add a veteran at the position. He names Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones as players to watch in that scenario.

In the same video link cited above, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the Giants – whose only QB under contract at the moment is Tommy DeVito – will likewise be active in the veteran signal-caller market in advance of the draft. Garafolo confirms Darnold will be an option for Big Blue, and the team could again be on Russell Wilson’s radar (a sentiment echoed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (see Graziano link above)).

Giants owner John Mara said last month he is open to resolving his club’s QB concerns with a veteran and/or a draft pick, though he appeared to suggest a prospect was the preferred route. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post believes Mara’s team will try to move up to either the No. 1 or No. 2 slot to select a quarterback, and Dan Duggan of The Athletic thinks there is a good chance the Titans and Giants will strike a No. 1-for-No. 3 swap.

Vikings Unlikely To Let Sam Darnold Walk; ‘Significant’ Rehab Work Remains For J.J. McCarthy?

February 13th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year looks a bit light on franchise tag candidates, but the Vikings do have the most significant decision to make before the March 4 tag deadline.

Sam Darnold has come up as a player the team will consider tagging, despite his tough finish to his debut Minnesota season, and J.J. McCarthy‘s recovery timeline stands to factor into the Vikings’ decision. McCarthy has undergone two surgeries after suffering a meniscus tear in the preseason. While plenty of time remains between now and Week 1, last year’s No. 10 overall pick looks to have a ways to go in his recovery.

McCarthy still has “significant” work to do in terms of rebuilding his body after the injury, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, whose recent conversations with a number of NFL execs point to the NFC North team protecting itself before the tag deadline. The Vikings should not be expected to let Darnold hit free agency, La Canfora notes. This would take the top QB option off the market, but given the Vikes’ situation, it would be understandable if they sought high-priced insurance.

The Vikings have been in talks with Darnold, who would be eligible to speak with other teams beginning March 10 when the legal tampering period starts. Darnold’s best financial play would probably be hitting the market and signing with a starter-needy team, one that would be ready to authorize multiple guaranteed years on a contract that would be expected to top $30MM per annum. The Baker Mayfield price range came up for Darnold recently; Darnold’s ex-Panthers teammate re-signed with the Buccaneers for three years and $100MM just before free agency last year.

While Minnesota could take this route in an effort to avoid a $40MM-plus cap hold clogging its payroll due to a franchise tag, McCarthy’s presence represents a rather notable difference between this situation and the one Tampa Bay navigated in 2024. Darnold also could conceivably be leery of re-signing on a multiyear deal due to McCarthy’s presence. McCarthy’s rookie contract can run through 2028 via the fifth-year option, and while a report after Week 17 — a critical juncture on the Darnold Minnesota timeline, due to his struggles in the two games that followed — indicated teams would call the Vikes on McCarthy. No indications have emerged suggesting the Vikings would entertain trading a player around whom they centered their 2024 offseason.

If McCarthy does need to take major steps forward in terms of rehab and acclimating to the NFL, the Vikings keeping Darnold — after a breakthrough season that produced a 14-3 record, an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod and a Kevin O’Connell Coach of the Year honor — would make sense regardless of cost. Minnesota is projected to carry more than $58MM in cap space. While a Darnold tag would throw a wrench into the Vikings’ ability to retain free agents Byron Murphy, Camryn Bynum and Aaron Jones, prioritizing a quarterback would stand to supersede retaining starters elsewhere.

Though, the Vikings are coming off a season in which they saw a $10MM QB make a stunning leap. A second Darnold year also cuts into Minnesota’s ability to build around McCarthy’s rookie contract. O’Connell also elevated Kirk Cousins‘ play, and the team also worked with Daniel Jones for nearly two months to close the season. Jones would be a less expensive option, in the event the Vikings decide a Darnold franchise tag would be too pricey.

Of course, teams have the choice of two tags to use each year. The lesser-used transition tag would be an interesting play, as our Nikhil Mehta suggested earlier this month. The lower-cost tag has since come up around the NFL as a potential option, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero.

Whereas OverTheCap projects the QB franchise tag to eclipse $41MM, it predicts the transition tag value to check in south of $36MM. That might not be enough of a difference to risk losing Darnold for no compensation, as the franchise tag still calls for two first-round picks to come back in the event of an unmatched offer sheet. But a transition tag also would give the Vikings five days to match any offer, effectively handcuffing the team that submitted the proposal at a time when key free agents will come off the board.

Darnold, 27, represents the top QB domino this year. The Vikings’ call during the tag window (Feb. 18-March 4) will determine if he is available. If a tag takes the seven-year vet out of the equation, teams would need to pivot. Jones, Cousins, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and, if he intends to keep playing, Aaron Rodgers will be the other top veterans to monitor as bridge options (at worst) in a scenario in which Darnold stays in Minnesota.

Kevin O’Connell: Vikings To Remain In Discussion With Sam Darnold

February 7th, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after taking home the Coach of the Year award, Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media about the Vikings’ looming Sam Darnold decision. No commitment has been made yet regarding the team’s direction at quarterback, but O’Connell confirmed the lines of communication will remain open with Darnold’s camp this offseason.

“Look, you guys know how I feel about Sam,” he said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). “He is a guy that we identified last year as somebody who could come in and be successful. And really no matter where he was at before he arrived in his quarterback journey, it was about maximizing our time together. And I think we did that, and I think it was a very special year for Sam.

“So he’s earned the right to be a free agent, but we will continue to have ongoing dialogue and discussions with him and his representation.”

Darnold outplayed his one-year, $10MM pact in 2024 and a weak class of QB prospects could help his market value as teams evaluate their free agent options under center. Minnesota could look to work out a multi-year pact, but doing so would further delay 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy‘s ascent to the starting gig (a process which was already put on hold during his rookie campaign due to a meniscus tear). The transition or franchise tag route remains an option, but a lucrative and fully-guaranteed commitment for 2025 may give the Vikings pause.

If a multi-year deal is to come Darnold’s way, something in line with Baker Mayfield‘s 2024 Buccaneers extension is considered a suitable framework. Mayfield inked a three-year, $100MM pact to remain in Tampa Bay after a strong debut season with the team. In terms of annual average value and total guarantees ($50MM), the deal pales in comparison to many others at the top of the position’s market, but duplicating it would represent a major windfall in Darnold’s case. The former No. 3 pick remained firmly on the Vikings’ radar regarding a raise as of December, but an underwhelming end to the season may have hindered his earning power.

After seeing Darnold, 27, and the offense struggle in Week 18 as well as the wild-card round of the playoffs, the Vikings could of course elect to hand the reins over to McCarthy and add a less expensive insurance option (which Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of the NFL.com confirm, while adding that re-signing Daniel Jones would also be in play in that scenario). General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made it clear last month the team will still contemplate keeping Darnold in place by one means or another, though, while obviously taking into account the effect any Darnold decision will have on McCarthy. The latter was seen as one of the least refined prospects in last year’s class, so missing out on valuable practice reps in 2024 could alter his development timeline.

Still, McCarthy’s recovery has gone according to plan and he is on track to be full healthy well in advance of Week 1 of the 2025 campaign. Whether or not Darnold will also be in Minnesota by that point will be one of the league’s top storylines given his relatively unique situation. It will be interesting to see if serious progress is made on the negotiating front over the coming weeks or if talks will still allow for Darnold to test his market in mid-March.

Baker Mayfield Contract Floated As Range For Sam Darnold Deal

February 5th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings are facing a crucial offseason decision with Sam Darnold, who played like a top-five quarterback for most of the regular season before collapsing against the Lions and the Rams to end the year.

After proving himself on a one-year, $10MM deal in 2024, Darnold will be looking to cash in with a strong long-term contract, in Minnesota or elsewhere. The Vikings, meanwhile, are expecting 2024 No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy to recover from his torn meniscus in time for training camp.

Darnold’s flashes of high-level play mixed with late-season struggles under pressure create a complex situation for the Vikings. They clearly see the younger, cheaper McCarthy as their long-term quarterback, but his injury cost him a crucial year of development, while Darnold proved he can play well enough to make the postseason in his stead.

Minnesota has yet to decide on Darnold’s future, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but they are open to re-signing him after a successful debut season under Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings have just over $58MM in 2025 cap space, but Darnold isn’t their only concern. Several starters, including left tackle Cam Robinson, cornerback Byron Murphy, and running back Aaron Jones are set to hit free agency. However, none of those players are expected to merit the franchise or transition tag, which remains in play for Darnold.

Darnold’s value will be a subject of debate leading up to the new league year. Unsurprisingly, agents and team executives disagree on his worth. The former group believes Darnold shouldn’t accept anything less than the four-year, $160MM contract Daniel Jones received from the Giants, while the latter has compared his situation to Baker Mayfield and his three-year, $100MM deal with the Buccaneers.

If Darnold is pushing for a contract similar to Jones’, the Vikings may be best served by a year-to-year approach. The franchise tag, projected by OverTheCap to be $41.3MM, may be too expensive, but the $35.3MM transition tag might be an appropriate middle ground. Darnold could test his market, while the Vikings would retain the ability to match another team’s offer. The Raiders and the Giants have already been mentioned as potential fits for Darnold, per Fowler, given their need at quarterback and available cap space.

Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson Potential QB Targets For Raiders

January 25th, 2025 at 11:34pm CST by Ben Levine

With Pete Carroll and John Spytek now installed atop the organization, the Raiders can switch their focus to finding a starting quarterback. Armed with the sixth-overall pick, there’s been some belief that the organization could position themselves to take one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects. However, the front office could also look to free agency to solve their QB woes.

At least one rival executive believes Sam Darnold could be an option for the Raiders, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. After reviving his career with the Vikings, Darnold could find himself priced out of Minnesota (especially with J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings). The Raiders are armed with close to $100MM in cap space, so the front office could be a strong suitor in any bidding war.

Darnold had a breakout season during the 2024 campaign, tossing 35 touchdowns while guiding the Vikings to a 14-3 record. The veteran struggled a bit at the end of the season, leading to some natural questions about his long-term starting candidacy. Kevin O’Connell and his offensive staff obviously deserve a ton of credit for Darnold’s turnaround, but perhaps the QB could bring some of those lessons to his next stop.

Interestingly, Russell Wilson is another name to watch for the Raiders, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Carroll and Wilson are obviously more than familiar with each other, although the QB’s stint in Seattle didn’t end on the best of terms. According to Howe, the two have “mended fences,” and that means a reunion in Las Vegas isn’t out of the picture. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network subsequently confirmed as much (video link).

After the Broncos booted him out of Denver, Wilson showed that he can still be a competent game manager with the Steelers. While his one-year deal with Pittsburgh was partly connected to his impending payments from Denver, Wilson may have to settle for a similar contract in 2025.

While neither Darnold nor Wilson are all that inspiring (at least from a long-term perspective), the duo will likely represent the top of the free agent QBs class. A free agent acquisition wouldn’t necessarily preclude the Raiders from selecting a quarterback in the draft, but the team’s draft strategy could determine whether they’re seeking a long-term answer like Darnold or a one-year stopgap like Wilson. The Raiders could also look to stay with their current options, as Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew remain under contract. But with a new regime running the show, there’s a good chance the team looks to retool their personnel.

Vikings GM Addresses Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy Statuses

January 16th, 2025 at 11:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold promises to be one of the most interesting free agents in recent memory. Regarding quarterback UFAs, he may become one of the most captivating commodities since full-fledged free agency launched in 1993.

Coming off an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, Darnold transformed his free agency stock during the regular season but offered a startling update to his value to close the campaign. Duds in the Vikings’ two biggest games — blowout road losses to the Lions and Rams — did the most to drop the only 14-win team in wild-card history to being a one-and-done. Questions already lingered about Minnesota’s 2025 QB situation; Darnold’s big-stage struggles will amplify them.

The team will have the option to retain Darnold via the franchise tag, but that scenario was more plausible before the former top-three pick’s concerning finish. Still, Darnold put together a stunning season. The Vikings do not have a decision on the free agent-to-be, however, but their fourth-year GM referred to the full picture when assessing Darnold’s suddenly curious standing.

“We got to see Sam play some incredible football for us,” Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said (via Pro Football Talk). “Won a lot of big games — at Seattle, at Lambeau. The production he was able to do, we’re talking bout games where he won games for us. There were a lot of games where he was a ‘win because of’ type player. And you also have to net that with all of [it] in totality.”

Errant throws and sacks sank Darnold during the Vikings’ final two games, but he still stayed healthy throughout a season for the first time (discounting his year as the 49ers’ backup) and piloted Minnesota to three wins in games against playoff-bound opposition, beating everyone on the schedule except for the Lions and Rams.

The sector in which Minnesota resided in the NFC bracket made the Detroit and Los Angeles issues a problem, but Darnold tallied a career-high (by a wide margin) 35 touchdown passes and tossed just 12 INTs. His 7.9 yards per attempt ranked sixth in the NFL, and his 4,319 passing yards slotted fifth. QBR was a lukewarm on the ex-Jets draftee’s breakout before the Lions rematch, and the modern metric placed him 14th.

It would cost the Vikings more than $40MM to tag Darnold. That rumored scenario may have seemed more palatable before Week 18, but it perhaps still should not be entirely ruled out. An iffy draft pool and a free agency class featuring aging options, disappointing 2020s draftees and backup types would stand to help Darnold, who would be the top option if he reaches the market. Minnesota could opt to take its chances and work out a lower-cost deal without the tag coming into play, but doing a long-term deal after having drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall would be complicated. And Darnold may not be especially interested due to McCarthy’s presence, despite the advantages Kevin O’Connell‘s offense can provide.

“We’re going to approach this offseason — I don’t want to give you the stock answer, but it really is — everything we do is about, OK, what’s the team around him going to look like? What does this piece fit into our whole championship equation? And we’ll do those exercises like we did last offseason, came out with a plan that we came up with,” Adofo-Mensah said.

“At the end of the day, you’re making decisions under uncertainty. But what happens is, once you find a course of action, it’s how you implement your plan — how you show up every day and get the best version of whoever you decide to go with at quarterback. How does that fit into your long-term picture? The contract structure, all those different things will go under our plan. And I’m excited to have those conversations because I think we’ve got a lot of good options. And at the most important position in the sport, I think that’s a great thing.”

McCarthy has undergone two knee surgeries, repairing a torn meniscus that knocked him out for the season. The former national championship-winning passer, however, is back on the field doing QB drills, Adofo-Mensah said (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert), with the GM indicating the 2024 No. 10 overall pick is on schedule.

Adofo-Mensah, who joins O’Connell on the Vikings’ extension radar, still said it is “way too early” to know the team’s 2025 plan at the position. The Vikings will have some options, though this situation does look a bit different after the team devoted its 2024 offseason to replacing Kirk Cousins with a rookie. Teams will be expected to ask the Vikings about McCarthy’s availability, but Darnold’s shaky conclusion will affect the NFC North club’s answer. No trade should be considered likely in 2025.

McCarthy’s rookie deal runs through 2027, with a fifth-year option in place for the ’28 season. Darnold will be going into his age-28 season in 2025, and a substantial raise — despite the ugly finish — appears certain. QB-needy teams who lack certain access to the top arms in the draft stand to be interested. The franchise tag window opens February 18 and closes March 4; the Vikes will have until March 10 — when the legal tampering period begins — to negotiate exclusively with Darnold.

Daniel Jones’ Vikings Role Uncertain; Latest On Sam Darnold’s Free Agency

January 13th, 2025 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold enters tonight’s wild-card game as the Vikings’ unquestioned starter. Nick Mullens has been the free agency addition’s backup all season, as he is closing out his third season with the team. But Daniel Jones‘ recent promotion from the practice squad could shake things up as the Vikings enter the playoffs.

Kevin O’Connell said (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert) Jones has improved since joining the team in late November and described his team’s backup situation as “fluid” going into the Rams matchup in Arizona. O’Connell also declined to state who would step in for Darnold in the event of an injury, pointing to Jones having a legitimate shot to do so. Jones said (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Emily Leiker) he is preparing as if he will be the No. 2 option tonight.

Jones is obviously far more experienced as a starter compared to Mullens, though the latter has made 20 starts as a pro. Most of those came in San Francisco, but the three-year Viking did see four starts after Kirk Cousins went down last year. Jones being ready for a QB2 role in time for the playoffs would also make sense, as he was linked to a few teams as a free agent. While developing under O’Connell represents a plus, it would be a bit odd if he chose a team that did not end up moving him past the third-string level.

By moving Jones up to the active roster when they did, the Vikings are positioned — depending on their free agency activity — to land a compensatory pick if/when Jones departs in free agency. Darnold is also coming off a rough outing in Detroit, a showdown that devolved into a blowout loss. It would obviously be shocking if O’Connell benched Darnold at any point tonight or during the playoffs, but Jones’ presence does add a bit of intrigue if the starter cannot rebound from a tough outing.

Darnold reaching free agency would make him the clear-cut top QB on the market, but late-season rumblings have also introduced the franchise tag as a legitimate consideration here. Some executives around the league believe Minnesota will retain Darnold, potentially via the tag, rather than lose him and throw an untested J.J. McCarthy into the deep end to open next season, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Darnold staying via $40MM-plus tag also should be considered likely, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson writes.

This would open up a scenario in which the Vikings continue to assess McCarthy’s development without trading the 2024 top-10 pick. A trade market could form, but the meniscus injury — one that has led to two surgeries — would also give teams pause about the former national champion even on a weaker QB market. Darnold also may not be thrilled to stay in Minnesota with a McCarthy threat looming — as it did this past offseason — but the tag would allow the Vikings to effectively move their 2024 QB plan to 2025. Darnold would be in position to remain the starter, allowing the Vikings more time to assess both their prominent passers.

Of course, Darnold would run the risk on losing value if he cannot sustain his 2024 play next season. The backup-turned-Pro Bowler would be a candidate to top $40MM per year if allowed to test free agency, and guarantees would top that by a significant margin. That would probably be the best-case scenario for Darnold financially, and it surfaced as a viable option as recently as early December. But he may have played too well for the Vikings to merely move on for only a third-round compensatory pick. While tag money would boost Darnold, he would enter a “prove it” year — after arguably already proving he is an upper-echelon starter — with a potential nine-figure contract at stake for 2026 in that reality.

Even in the days before Darnold’s Detroit outing, Fowler indicated he did not speak with an NFL staffer who believed a team would pay Darnold top-10 QB money. This would be due to the former Jets draftee’s inconsistent history. As of now, Kyler Murray‘s $46.1MM-per-year deal sits 10th among quarterbacks. This maligned draft class and a lack of other potential long-term starters could still conceivably pump up Darnold’s market to that neighborhood, if the Vikings let him walk, but how he fares in the playoffs would also play a significant role in crystalizing the seventh-year vet’s value.

The Vikes will probably give strong consideration to preventing that reality from transpiring, as they are projected to carry more than $69MM in cap space. That would be enough for a tag to be unholstered, even if it ate into Minnesota’s free agency plans at other roster spots. How Minnesota proceeds here will be one of this coming offseason’s top storylines.

Vikings Hope To Retain Sam Darnold; Browns Interested In QB?

December 22nd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Rory Parks

Recent reporting on Sam Darnold’s future with the Vikings suggested that the team has resigned itself to the fact that Darnold’s play in 2024 has priced him out of Minnesota, and that the club has not engaged in extension talks with the resurgent quarterback. However, the Vikes may not be willing to give up on a Darnold return just yet.

Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Minnesota indeed hopes that it will be able to retain Darnold, who has piloted the Vikings to a 12-2 record and a shot at the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Jones’ sources confirm prior reports that the 27-year-old passer has set himself up for a contract that would pay him at least $25MM per season, which is of course a considerable raise on the one-year, $10MM deal he signed with the Vikings this year.

That said, Minnesota is projected to have upwards of $70MM in cap space in 2025, so a “middle-class” QB deal would be feasible. It may even be a bargain if Darnold, under the tutelage of head coach Kevin O’Connell, has truly blossomed into the player the Jets believed he would be when they made him the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft.

Darnold’s 104.9 QB rating is the fourth-highest mark in the league, he has led four game-winning drives, and the Vikings are eighth in the league in scoring as of the time of this writing. That performance, combined with Minnesota’s win-loss record, make it no surprise that the team wants him back.

Of course, the Vikes signed Darnold this offseason with the intention of making him a bridge passer, not a long-term fixture under center. As such, the team selected J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick of this year’s draft, and McCarthy was the player deemed to be the quarterback of the future.

According to Jones, that has not changed. The Vikings’ level of faith in McCarthy is as high as it was when he was drafted, and the season-ending knee injury he suffered in August has not altered the club’s view of his career trajectory. However, Darnold’s efforts this season cannot be ignored, and one AFC executive told Jones that McCarthy could become Minnesota’s version of Green Bay’s Jordan Love (a first-round pick who sat behind Aaron Rodgers for several seasons before finally getting a chance to run the show).

Since Darnold’s combination of youth and ability could make him the most desirable QB in this year’s free agent class, it is still possible that his asking price goes beyond the Vikings’ comfort level. But his 2024 showing has afforded him the ability to be selective about his future home, and Jones says the USC product will naturally exercise caution to avoid undesirable situations, like those he found himself in as a member of the Jets and Panthers. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the Browns would have interest if Darnold hits the open market, though it is unclear whether Cleveland — despite the presumptive presence of a well-respected offensive mind in HC Kevin Stefanski — would qualify as a desirable situation.

Obviously, Minnesota has proven to be a perfect fit, and if the Vikings are willing to spend, it appears that the door to a multiyear pact between Darnold and the club remains open.

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