Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Watch: Vikings QB Sam Darnold throws fifth TD vs. Falcons

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Dec 8, 2024 3:41 PM ET

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has possibly increased his future earnings this season.

Early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's home game against the Atlanta Falcons, Darnold threw his fifth touchdown of the game to wide receiver Jordan Addison.

ADDISON’S 3RD TD CATCH. DARNOLD’S 5TH TD PASS!

: #ATLvsMIN on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/Uimc7uUEPE
— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024

Darnold's excellent performance shouldn't be a surprise. Entering Sunday's matchup, he had tossed six TD passes and no interceptions over his past three games. He also ranked fifth in the NFL in TD passes (23 in 12 games).

His hot streak could be giving the Vikings something to consider. During a "Sunday NFL Countdown" segment, ESPN's Alex Smith argued the Vikings should re-sign Darnold, who's an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

"I think this is a huge mistake [from the Vikings] if they don't make a concerted effort to re-sign [Darnold]," the former Chiefs QB said.

After the Vikings took QB J.J. McCarthy with pick No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft, don't bank on Darnold returning to Minnesota. However, expect him to land a big contract elsewhere.

Spotrac estimates Darnold's market value is a four-year deal worth $34.4M annually. The 27-year-old should pique some teams' interest.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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