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Sam Darnold Predicted to Replace 10-Time Pro Bowl QB in NFL Free Agency

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Mar 8, 2025 3:48 PM ET

Sam Darnold entered NFL free agency as one of the most interesting quarterback options after a career-revitalizing year with the Minnesota Vikings, completing 361-of-545 passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

It was a good enough season to make his first career Pro Bowl and be set up for a major payday, with Spotrac placing his market value at $40.1 million annually.

In an article for CBS Sports, Tyler Sullivan predicts the Pittsburgh Steelers will be the lucky team to eventually win the Darnold sweepstakes, meaning he would replace 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson.

"Pittsburgh has $63.6 million in cap space, which creates an avenue for them to ink the former Vikings quarterback," Sullivan wrote. "Meanwhile, Darnold was largely stellar for Minnesota last season, helping them to a 14-3 record while throwing for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. His struggles down the stretch and in the playoffs do bring a level of concern that his year was a flash in the pan, but the Steelers are desperate to get their QB situation in order. With that in mind, it's a calculated gamble that they should take."

Wilson is coming off an interesting year for the Steelers, starting 11 games, completing 214-of-336 passes for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 95.6 passer rating.

Even though Wilson's numbers weren't too bad, bringing in Darnold and offering a fresh face could help improve the offense, which didn't excel in 2024, ranking 23rd in total yards per game (319.4) and 16th in points per game (22.4).

If Darnold can also put up similar numbers to 2024, he could become the first Steelers quarterback to reach at least 4,000 passing yards in a season since Ben Roethlisberger in 2018 (5,129 yards).

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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