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Vikings' Sam Darnold Predicted To Replace Super Bowl QB in 2025

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Nov 13, 2024 1:56 PM ET

Sam Darnold has the Minnesota Vikings in playoff contention entering Week 11. They are 7-2 heading into Sunday's game against the 2-7 Tennessee Titans.

The Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year deal worth $10 million in March, then selected Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in April's NFL draft.

McCarthy (torn meniscus) suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, which paved the way for Darnold to be the full-time starter in 2024. Darnold has succeeded in ways he hadn't in previous seasons, completing 179-of-261 passes for 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. More importantly, Minnesota holds the fifth seed in the NFC playoff race.

ESPN's Dan Graziano predicted where Darnold will sign in 2025. With McCarthy expected to become the full-time starter for Minnesota, Graziano thinks the 27-year-old quarterback would be an ideal replacement for Matthew Stafford on the Los Angeles Rams.

"My wild-card pick here is the Rams, assuming Matthew Stafford decides to move on (which I'm not reporting, but Stafford is obviously year-to-year at this point of his career)," Graziano wrote.

"Darnold had a nice season with Kyle Shanahan in a backup role in San Francisco last season and has obviously done well with Kevin O'Connell this year, so he knows the basics of the offense Sean McVay runs," Graziano continued. "And McVay is the kind of coach -- like Shanahan and O'Connell -- who would design things to make Darnold as comfortable as possible and put him in the best position to succeed."

Stafford will be 37 when the 2025 season rolls around. The winning quarterback of Super Bowl LVI has thrown for 2,262 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions this season.

Stafford, the 2009 No. 1 pick by the Detroit Lions, is still under contract with the Rams through the 2026 season.

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

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