Vikings Officially Decline To Tag Sam Darnold But In Talks For Potential Short-Term Deal

The Minnesota Vikings are on track to let the franchise tag deadline pass without using the tender on QB Sam Darnold, per Ian Rapoport, which has been expected for about a week. 

However, Rapoport and Jordan Schultz both note the two sides are still in talks about the possibility of a short-term contract. 

The two sides have to strike a balance between rewarding Darnold for his breakout performance in 2024 while not compromising Minnesota’s flexibility, either with the Vikings’ cap space or their future with 2024 first-round QB J.J. McCarthy still on the roster. 

Adam Schefter said earlier today his guess was that staying with the Vikings would make the most sense for Darnold in the end rather than leaving for another franchise that might pay better but might be a more dysfunctional situation. 

Darnold, 27, 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 in his career when he signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the 49ers in 2023. He joined the Vikings this past offseason on another one-year deal. 

In 2024, Darnold appeared in all 17 games for the Vikings and completed 66.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He added 67 carries for 212 yards and a touchdown. 

We’ll have more on Darnold as the news becomes available.

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2025 Free Agents list.