Vikings may want Sam Darnold back — but only under one condition

The Minnesota Vikings have chosen not to use the franchise tag on Sam Darnold, but they have expressed interest in re-signing the quarterback. The big question is how much the team is willing to pay, and we are starting to get a better idea of that.

Darnold did not receive the franchise tag prior to Tuesday’s deadline. The tag for a quarterback is priced at $41.3 million for 2025, and the Vikings did not want to commit to Darnold at that number.

It seems like the Vikings only want to keep Darnold next season if the 27-year-old is willing to give them a discount. ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote in a column on Thursday that the Vikings genuinely want Darnold back but “remain committed to J.J. McCarthy as their franchise quarterback of the future.”

Graziano also believes Darnold will “likely find better deals on the open market.”

ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote in the same article that “people will be surprised by how much Darnold makes on the open market.”

In an ideal world, the Vikings would probably want Darnold back on a short-term deal at mid-tier starter money. There are currently 14 starting quarterbacks who make more than $40 million in average annual salary. Considering Minnesota did not want to give Darnold a guaranteed $41.3 million with the franchise tag, it would stand to reason that they only want him back at a salary much lower than that.

Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his first season as the Vikings’ starter. He helped lead the team a 14-3 record, though they had a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the opening round of the playoffs.

We know of at least one quarterback-needy team that is expected to pursue Darnold when the free agency legal tampering window opens on March 10.

With the Vikings committed to McCarthy, Darnold is unlikely to give his current team much of a discount. That almost makes a split seem inevitable.