The Minnesota Vikings took the first step in addressing the 2025 status of Sam Darnold. However, Darnold’s Vikings future took a rather interesting turn on Monday night ahead of 2025 NFL free agency.
Darnold’s chances of returning witnessed this update via ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
“Vikings QB Sam Darnold is unlikely to be franchise tagged ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, per league sources,” Schefter posted on X.
This becomes a big risk for Minnesota. The franchise tag would’ve kept Darnold in Minnesota unless another team can match its deal for him. But this doesn’t mean the Vikings are out of the running just yet.
“Minnesota still is interested in working to re-sign Darnold, but it is likely to be without any tag,” Schefter added.
Vikings expected to face competition to land Sam Darnold
A massive payday is coming to Darnold. Rightfully so considering he delivered more than 4,000 passing yards with 35 touchdowns.
Darnold will sign a massive four-year, $160.5 million deal per Spotrac’s projection. That means Darnold would rake in more than $40 million annually.
Minnesota currently is working with more than $63 million in cap space, via Over the Cap. The Vikings are playing with their finances if they hand Darnold $40 million per year, or higher.
The Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, however, can free up as much financial room as they can to hand Darnold a blockbuster deal. Longtime tackle Cam Robinson is on his way out. Plus running backs Cam Akers and last season’s RB1 Aaron Jones.
Perhaps Adofo-Mensah and the front office can aim for the $30 million range for annual salary with Darnold. But the 2024 Pro Bowler will have other highly interested suitors across the league.
The Las Vegas Raiders come to mind, as the franchise seeks a new QB. The silver and black already missed out on trading for Matthew Stafford. Darnold also shares well-known USC ties with incoming Raiders head coach Pete Carroll.
The New York Giants are another to watch. Like the Raiders, the Giants couldn’t complete the trade for Stafford. Darnold will head back to his first NFL city, albeit with the NFC New York representative.
Finally, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one more to monitor. The franchise has Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as ’25 free agents with Darnold.
The post NFL rumors: Vikings unlikely to use franchise tag on Sam Darnold appeared first on ClutchPoints.
