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Minnesota Vikings' Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy Quarterback of Future?

Sam Darnold's future as the Minnesota Vikings quarterback is a major question mark heading into the offseason. Has the former USC Trojan earned the right to be the starter next season, or will the Pro Bowler be on the move?
Kyron Samuels|
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) reacts as he walks off the field after losing to the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) reacts as he walks off the field after losing to the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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USC TrojansMinnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold's future as the Minnesota Vikings quarterback is a major question mark heading into the offseason. 

Darnold, who began the season as a bridge quarterback for first-round draft pick JJ McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee injury, led the Minnesota Vikings to a regular-season triumph of 14 wins, the second-best season in franchise history after the 15-1 campaign in 1998. With his stellar year, the former USC Trojans quarterback was selected to the NFC Pro Bowl roster and earned the respect of his teammates and peers across the league. 

Despite those triumphs, Darnold faltered in the two biggest games of the season. The Week 18 showdown against the Detroit Lions, which was for the No. 1 seed, NFC North crown, and franchise record for regular season wins, was a disaster on Sunday Night Football. The Monday Night Football playoff contest the following week against the Los Angeles Rams was on par with the Lions debacle. Two weeks in a row in primetime showings, Darnold and the Vikings collapsed. 

"[Season] did not end the way any of us envisioned. In fact the finality of it all is probably the thing that stings the most. . . . Nobody expected it to be over when it was," said coach Kevin O’Connell to reporters after the playoff loss. 

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Darnold’s year was tremendous on paper as he threw for 35 passing touchdowns and 4,319 passing yards in the regular season, the fifth-best mark in the league for both categories. Darnold also completed 66 percent of his passes and finished sixth in the league in passer rating.

Darnold finished sixth in passing yards per attempt and had a higher average depth of target than quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Aaron Rodgers amongst others. The string of play did not go unnoticed by the front office. 

“You’re talking about the most important position in the sport, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to assemble a lot of talented players. . . . We got to see Sam play some incredible football for us. We’re talking about games we won because of him,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in the end-season press conference.

Still, Sam is due to be paid after the season he just produced in totality, but many questions arise.

Are the Vikings going to franchise tag him for upwards of 40 million dollars for one season to keep him alongside McCarthy? Will they tag him to be traded to a destination for capital? Is there a possibility that Darnold will be able to test the market and the Vikings get seemingly no return on investment at all? Will McCarthy even be ready to play next season? 

Another thing to remember is the Vikings signed quarterback Daniel Jones toward the end of the regular season. He’s a veteran with starting experience and would be the presumed backup in case anything disastrous happens to McCarthy again. The scenarios are plentiful for the Vikings and Darnold.

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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