Vikings Likely To Let Sam Darnold Leave, Re-Sign Daniel Jones Next Year?

Jordan Schultz mentioned on The Herd that it will be “extremely difficult” for the Vikings to retain QB Sam Darnold.

Schultz believes Darnold could end up securing a similar contract to the three-year, $100 million deal Baker Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers that included $50 million guaranteed. 

As for the Vikings’ plans at quarterback moving forward, Schultz thinks it’s “very realistic” Minnesota re-signs Daniel Jones and pairs him with first-round QB J.J. McCarthy, who is working his way back from a torn ACL.

Darnold has played well enough this year to be one of the best available free agents next March and there could be a number of teams in the market for help at the position. 

Given the investment already made in McCarthy, it makes some sense for them to keep Jones at a more affordable price in case McCarthy struggles or gets hurt.

The other benefit is that this would allow the Vikings to potentially collect a good compensatory pick in 2026, assuming they don’t sign any free agents who would cancel that out.

Darnold, 26, is a former first-round pick of the Jets back in 2018. He was in the final year of a four-year, $30.370 million rookie contract when he was traded to the Panthers. 

Carolina exercised Darnold’s fifth-year option for 2022 after acquiring him from New York. He made a base salary of $18.858 million in 2022 under the option. 

Darnold was an unrestricted free agent for the first time this offseason when he signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the 49ers. He joined the Vikings this past offseason on another one-year deal. 

In 2024, Sam Darnold has appeared in 12 games for the Vikings and completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,952 yards, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.