The Minnesota Vikings are likely not done adding to their quarterback room, but earlier this offseason, they hedged their bets with one of the more quizzical signings of free agency.
After spending the 2023 season in the Kyle Shanahan quarterback rehabilitation program as the San Francisco 49ers’ backup to Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold signed a one-year contract with the Vikings worth $10 million.
Darnold’s deal is fringe-starting-QB money, and his arrival seems to be an insurance policy against being unable to try to rise to the top of the NFL Draft board to select a future quarterback.
Pro Football Focus panned the Vikings for signing Darnold and the former No. 3 overall pick’s new contract.
“Darnold reunites with former teammate Josh McCown, who is now the quarterbacks coach for the Vikings under Kevin O’Connell,” Brad Spielberger writes for PFF, listing the Darnold signing as his least-favorite move by the Vikings this offseason. “Minnesota obviously needs a bridge quarterback, or this could be the 2024 version of the Baker Mayfield experience in Tampa Bay, but with so many options available, they just had to give Darnold a greater than 100% raise over 2023. It feels like there’s baked-in compensation so Minnesota can say, 'Hey, we don’t need to trade up. We have a starter we believe in!'
“That said, there were legitimate flashes at the end of the 2022 season in Carolina for Darnold, and we know teams still believe in the former No. 3 overall pick. At the end of the day, with Kirk Cousins off to Atlanta, Minnesota had to make a fairly sizable move with their first-round draft pick sitting at No. 11 overall, and player agents were well aware of that reality. We now wait to see if they add a rookie signal-caller at No. 11 or after a trade-up.”
Is Sam Darnold the Vikings’ bridge or backup plan?
After spending a season developing in Shanahan’s offense with the 49ers, Darnold is a bit of an enigma.
Depending on how high the Vikings can trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft, it bears watching whether the team plays a quarterback like J.J. McCarthy or Drake Maye immediately or allows them to hold a clipboard and learn behind Darnold for at least a few weeks to begin the season.
But, if the Vikings aren’t able to trade up, starting Darnold — who has thrown 63 touchdowns and 56 career interceptions could be a colossal risk for the 2024 season, especially with so much riding on strengthening goodwill with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson not pushing for a postseason return.
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