Minnesota Vikings Make Sam Darnold Franchise Tag Decision: NFL Free Agency Options

According to multiple league sources, former USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold is believed not to receive the franchise tag distinction by the Minnesota Vikings before the 1 p.m. PT deadline. It appears that Darnold is officially heading to the market as a free agent. While teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans have been linked to Darnold so far this offseason, the Vikings have emphasized there’s a possibility Darnold could return to the team.

Darnold had the season of his career for the Minnesota Vikings this past season, breaking NFL and franchise passing records while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and earning his first-career Pro Bowl nomination. Darnold also received votes for NFL Most Valuable Player and Comeback Player of the Year. Beyond any accolade or statistic, Darnold won over a locker room and coaching staff.

The #Vikings are not expected to franchise tag QB Sam Darnold by Tuesday’s deadline, per me and @TomPelissero. But all parties are working through options to potentially keep him in Minnesota.

Darnold, who is set to hit free agency, has a situation best described as fluid. pic.twitter.com/q3A8iGkYEQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2025

"Look, you guys know how I feel about Sam," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell recently said, via Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune. "He is a guy that we identified last year as somebody who could come in and be successful. And really no matter where he was at before he arrived in his quarterback journey, it was about maximizing our time together. And I think we did that, and I think it was a very special year for Sam. And what that earned him is, everybody in our league now thinks he's a bonafide, legitimate starting quarterback and can win a lot of football games. He won 14 of them.”

The Minnesota Vikings drafted quarterback J.J. McCarthy tenth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. After getting injured and having knee surgery that would sideline him for the season, Darnold was assured the starting job. Neither situation panned out how the Vikings thought it would with their first-round draft pick being injured and the bridge quarterback having a Pro Bowl season, but now there’s a tough decision to be made about the future of the team, and it seems McCarthy is the pick.

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"Having 14 wins in this league is not easy," All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson said before the Super Bowl during media sessions. "To bring us to a playoff game to win 14 games and only lose three, that's something difficult to do. I wouldn't mind having him back in the building. Of course, I feel like J.J. is going to have his opportunity and his chance, but I would love to have Sam back and see if he can do it again."

McCarthy is well liked in the locker room, but the Vikings especially took to Darnold this past season. When arguably the best wide receiver in the world is publicly vouching for his return, Darnold must’ve been doing something right. 4,319 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, a 66.2 completion percentage, and a 102.5 quarterback rating doesn’t just fall out of the sky. It was earned.

Today at 4 p.m. ET is the franchise tag deadline.

The Vikings have been saying for weeks that QB Sam Darnold "has earned the right to be a free agent."

They are expected to let him do just that.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 4, 2025

Now, as Darnold heads towards free agency, the possibilities are exciting. A new contract and a new start for a player that’s finally gotten over the hump mentally and let their talent shine. Is a pairing with former USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas in the cards? It appears so. The Trojan faithful would love to have Darnold closer to the west coast.

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