Should Vikings Re-Sign Sam Darnold?

Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback Sam Darnold was outstanding in Sunday's thrilling 27-25 Week 17 defeat over the Green Bay Packers. Darnold completed 33-of-43 passing attempts for a career-high 377 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

Darnold continues playing like a franchise quarterback, complicating the Vikings' decision this offseason. Despite having rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings, the Vikings should re-sign the veteran signal-caller this coming offseason.

Darnold was brought to Minnesota on a one-year contract worth $10 million. They decided to sever ties with Kirk Cousins, who signed a far more lucrative contract in free agency with the Atlanta Falcons. What an outstanding decision Minnesota made to swap quarterbacks.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah entered the 2024 NFL Draft with the No. 11 overall selection. Hardly guaranteed an opportunity to draft one of the top-ranking quarterbacks, he wisely signed Darnold to a bridge-type deal. Adofo-Mensah then traded up one overall pick and drafted McCarthy, a National Championship winner out of Michigan.

The expectation was always that Darnold would begin the campaign as the starter. Head coach Kevin O'Connell would bring McCarthy along slowly, a lost art in today's we-demand-instant-results NFL. That plan was forced on the Vikings anyway when McCarthy was revealed to have suffered a season-ending torn meniscus injury during the preseason.

Darnold has responded by taking full advantage of his season-long opportunity. The 14-2 Vikings will play their division rival Detroit Lions in Week 18 for the NFC North title, No. 1 overall seed, home-field advantage, and a first-round postseason bye. Darnold will likely enter that showdown ranked fourth in the league in passing yards (4,153), fourth in touchdowns (35), and fifth in quarterback rating (106.4). He’s been a top-five quarterback in the league this campaign by most metrics.

The Vikings likely brought Darnold to Minnesota with a one-year plan in mind. His form and McCarthy's season-ending knee injury have altered things. They'll make every effort imaginable to retain Darnold this offseason. The tone has already changed, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini plainly stating, “the Vikings want him back in Minnesota in 2025” in a recent column.

Darnold will be due a significant raise in pay. At a minimum, his yearly value has quadrupled, from $10 to $40 million annually. Based on the current quarterback pay scale, Darnold would be well within his rights to demand a multi-year contract that even approaches $50 million annually. Alternatively, the Vikings could assign the franchise tag, which is scheduled to pay more than $40 million in 2025.

McCarthy should continue to sit and learn while the Vikings attempt to maximize a Super Bowl window Darnold has cracked open for them. There's nothing wrong with McCarthy biding his time. Some of today's best NFL quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Jordan Love included, sat and waited for their opportunity. Rookie quarterbacks rarely hit the ground running nowadays. We’ve seen high picks like Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson take their bumps and bruises when placed under pressure immediately. Sitting can be extremely beneficial.

Darnold should be the Vikings' quarterback in 2025. He's gone from a short-term bridge-type solution to a franchise signal-caller. His form has complicated McCarthy's timeline, but the rookie quarterback remains on a cost-controlled contract for four additional years after this one. The Vikings should be patient while taking an annual approach to the situation, starting by bringing Darnold back next season.